How the Military Health System uses Integrated Social Media Channels to Better Connect and Engage with its Stakeholders

Americans are increasingly turning to the Internet to find health information and connect with people who share similar conditions. In addition, government agencies and departments are using social media to collaborate, increase transparency, and respond to health crises. To better serve military service members and their families, the MHS is engaging stakeholders through a variety of integrated social media platforms and techniques including blog monitoring, podcasts, social networking, social bookmarking, video & photo sharing, blogger outreach, blogs, microblogging, RSS, and content sharing to facilitate dialogue and increase awareness around health promotion and disease prevention. This presentation will highlight the social media best practices used as well as the successes and the challenges the System faces, both internal and external.