Federal agencies should use social media tools to provide the public with health information and resources, Janice Nall, director of the Division of eHealth Marketing at CDC's National Center for Health Marketing, said during a recent panel discussion, Federal Computer Week reports.
Nall said that the public increasingly is turning to social media for information and that federal agencies must use these tools to develop a greater presence.
Nall noted that CDC used social media tools, such as text messages and online videos, to disseminate information about the H1N1 flu virus.
Nall said that federal agencies should not use social media tools to provide all of their information but rather to highlight important points and direct people back to the agencies' Web sites for more in-depth information.
Nall also stressed the importance of developing metrics to track how communication through social media is working (Yasin, Federal Computer Week, 4/19).