Best Practice Guide for LinkedIn: Obstetrics & Gynecology Department
Overview
LinkedIn was designated as the primary platform for our Ob/Gyn department. It serves as a safe space for our department members, patients, and partners to engage in information sharing, event promotion, and thought-leadership (RingCentral Team, 2024b). We will use LinkedIn to connect with healthcare professionals, patients, and the wider medical community with the objective of sharing employee spotlights, as well as expertise in obstetrics and gynecology care, research, advocacy, and education.
Our goal is to establish a trusted, professional, informative, proactive, and caring presence that reflects our values and commitment to women’s health. Our department differentiates itself from our peers in a few areas: rigorous translational reproductive-focused bench research; numerous social scientist faculty contributing evidenced-based research and policy; as well as strong family-planning and abortion training and practice opportunities.
Voice and Tone
Our voice should be professional yet approachable. Posts should be clear, informative, and warm, making complex medical topics accessible while maintaining accuracy and professionalism. Since our department deals with sensitive healthcare topics, our tone should always be compassionate and reassuring. We strive to provide valuable insights into obstetric and gynecological advancements, health tips, and patient care approaches while fostering dialogue with our audience. Our language should be inclusive, welcoming, and sensitive to diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Posting Frequency and Timing
To maintain an active presence without overwhelming our audience, we will post original content one to two times per week. In addition, we will repost content that features our department members or programs. Based on LinkedIn analytics, the best engagement times are Tuesdays to Thursdays from 10am-noon (Keutelian, 2024).
Content Strategy
We will share a variety of content to inform and engage our audience. Educational content, including articles, infographics, and videos, will cover topics such as women’s health, pregnancy, menopause, reproductive rights, and preventative care. Updates on groundbreaking studies, medical advancements, and clinical trials in obstetrics and gynecology will keep our audience informed about the latest research and innovations. Additionally, we will share department news, including announcements about new team members, partnerships, awards, and major events. Department members and employees will be tagged and encouraged to repost content to extend reach and drive engagement (Hubspot Academy, n.d.).
Our content will align with awareness months, such as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Endometriosis Awareness Month, to amplify important health topics.
Ideal posts will fall within the following parameters:
- Post length — 500–1000 characters
- Emoji use — 1–2, ideally placed at beginning and end of post
- External links –links within body and related links at end of post
- Hashtags — unique hashtags for specific campaigns; #obgynproud for kudos and recognition, general use tags: #Obstetrics, #Gynecology, #ReproductiveHealth
- Keywords — Incorporate SEO-friendly keywords to enhance engagement
Engagement and Response Time
Comments on posts will be responded to within 24 hours to foster engagement and encourage discussions. Responses should be professional and friendly, always addressing concerns respectfully. If medical advice is requested, we will redirect users to the appropriate channels. We will engage with our partners, the university, and departmental programs by sharing and tagging relevant content, ensuring that all shared information is verified.
Customer Service and Issue Resolution
Direct messages and inquiries should receive a response within 24–48 hours during business days. Urgent concerns will be flagged and forwarded promptly to the appropriate team. Negative feedback will be handled with professionalism, acknowledging concerns and with the suggestion to move sensitive discussions to private messages. We will avoid engaging in debates and instead provide factual and supportive responses. In case of misinformation or a PR issue, we will escalate the matter internally and respond transparently with verified information.
Compliance and Confidentiality
We will never share personal health information, even if a patient comments or messages publicly, to ensure HIPAA compliance and patient privacy. All shared content must adhere to medical ethics, evidence-based practices, and professional standards. Any sensitive content will be approved by the communications and legal teams before publishing to ensure compliance and accuracy.
Performance Monitoring
We will conduct a monthly review to track engagement metrics, including likes, shares, comments, and reach, to assess content performance. Audience insights will be analyzed to refine our content strategy, and adjustments will be made to optimize posting times, formats, and topics based on analytics.
Final Thoughts
By following these best practices, our LinkedIn presence will reinforce our leadership in obstetrics and gynecology, build trust within the medical and patient community, and enhance patient education and engagement. This platform is the ideal space to interact with peer institutions, prospective faculty or staff, and potential or current clients. LinkedIn provides a good balance of the professional and personal which matches our approach to reaching our audiences.
References:
HubSpot, Inc. (n.d.). HubSpot Academy.
Keutelian, M. (2024, August 21). Best times to post on LinkedIn in 2024. Sprout Social.
RingCentral Team. (2024b, November 4). 35 social media best practices: Tips for every platform | RingCentral Blog. RingCentral Blog.
