With a Twitter following of more than 1,600, Dr. Geraldine McGinty is a social media force to be reckoned with. In her day job, she serves as an advisor to St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, as well as the chair of the American College of Radiology's (ACR) commission on economics. But in the Twitter world she's @DrGMcGinty, expert on healthcare innovation and imaging's contribution to quality healthcare. AuntMinnie.com (@AuntMinnie) spoke with her about what drives her to tweet.
AuntMinnie: Why did you deciding to start tweeting?
McGinty: I had a personal Twitter account and still do, but in creating the @DrGMcGinty account, I wanted to get the message out about the value of imaging and radiologists in a novel way.
How much of your day do you spend on it?
It depends. I try to share as I go when I'm reading a journal and think articles are of interest. I don't spend that much time scrolling through my feed, but it's a great way to pass the time while I'm on the bus in New York City.
Dr. Geraldine McGinty tweets about the role of imaging in delivering high-value healthcare.What topics do you like to tweet about?
I am passionate about the unique role of imaging in delivering high-quality healthcare, so that's my main focus, but I also like to highlight articles that describe cool healthcare innovations. I'm a health IT nut and love a good infographic.
Do you participate in live Twitter events such as tweet chats?
Definitely! Ruth Carlos (@RuthCarlosMD) and Bruce Hillman (@bjh41647) of the Journal of the American College of Radiology hold regular tweet chats, and they are a great way to connect both inside radiology as well as with the greater healthcare community -- and, most importantly, with our patients.
Are there specific instances when you find Twitter to be particularly valuable, such as during conferences?
I enjoy the buzz that Twitter creates around a meeting and also like the ability to get the word out about great material that is being presented. There are other social media tools like Bizzabo that I really like for conferences.
What tools do you use for tweeting and following Twitter? TweetDeck, HootSuite, etc.?
HootSuite is great for scheduling tweets, and I'll use it to have tweets ready to go about a meeting at which I'm speaking, because once I'm there it can get hectic. At the end of the day, I find the basic Twitter app easiest for tweet chats.
What other social media tools do you use for work purposes, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr, etc.?
I use LinkedIn, but Facebook, Instagram, and my personal Twitter account are reserved for friends and family.
Who do you follow?
I follow tweeters from other medical specialties like @KevinMD. I keep up with the patient community via tweeters like @ePatientDave. Within radiology, I'm always engaged by what @RichDuszak, @Jim_Rawson_MD, and @MattHawkinsMD are tweeting, and Harry Jha (@RogueRad) is guaranteed to be thought-provoking. The ACR's feed (@RadiologyACR) is a good way to keep up with policy and, of course, @AuntMinnie!
Do you do anything specifically to try to build your following?
Not really. I follow people in whom I'm interested, and my follower number has grown slowly. I've beaten my 14-year-old niece in terms of follower numbers, but I'm nowhere near Rich Duszak yet!
Are there any topics that are off-limits in terms of things you tweet?
I'll occasionally tweet about something a little more fun. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a bit of a shoe habit. @BhavyaRehani and I used #RSNAshoes to bemoan our unsensible shoe choices for walking the halls at McCormick Place last year, for example. I stay away from politics unless I see bias or politics getting in the way of good care, for example, the faulty arguments against screening mammography. I have no problem weighing in there.
Do you have any "success stories" of connections you've made over social media that you feel have justified your time investment?
Twitter has enabled me to connect with the patient community in a way that would not have otherwise been possible. I'm working with price transparency site Clear Health Costs (@chcosts) to help patients understand how to choose a mammogram facility. I "met" founder Jeanne Pinder during the JACR tweet chat at last year's RSNA conference. It's also a great way for me to connect with our radiology resident community (#radres @ACRRFS). I find the energy and enthusiasm of our residents so inspiring.
Do you feel that Twitter and other social media tools are primarily for radiologists to communicate with peers, or do you also see a role for contact with patients? If so, what?
When Twitter started, I really didn't see what its role and value would be, but now I realize it is a communication medium that edits the vast information flow that we are all trying to manage these days. As such, it is useful for wherever one is trying to connect.
How would you respond to someone who questions the value of spending time on Twitter and social media?
For me, it is all about sifting and editing. I wish I had time to read every newspaper, trade publication, and journal, as well as get out an effective message of advocacy for radiologists and the value we provide. I just don't. Twitter helps me whittle down the in- and outflows to something manageable.
What do you feel you get out of your activities on Twitter?
Twitter helps me understand the broader healthcare world, including the critically important perspectives of our nonradiologist colleagues and our patients. Twitter also permits me to disseminate the message of the contribution that imaging makes to high-value healthcare.
Do you have any suggestions for someone who is new to Twitter or is thinking about joining?
Get going! Just be a follower while you test the waters. Don't ever tweet anything you wouldn't want your boss or your kids to see. Have fun.
