October 10, 2012
A big part of “People First” is customer feedback. Many of the HHS websites ask, “Was this page helpful?” and seek feedback on your user experience. We use that information to make our websites better. On Digital Strategy, we’re asking you for ideas, and we’re listening. That’s what “People First” is at its core.
October 9, 2012
By: Nicole Lurie, M.D., M.S.P.H., Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Department of Health and Human Services
Studies of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and the Haiti cholera outbreak demonstrated that social media trends can indicate disease outbreak more quickly than traditional surveillance methods. Early identification of an outbreak allows health officials to respond quickly to protect communities.
October 4, 2012
By: Deborah A. Temkin, Ph.D., Bullying Prevention Coordinator, U.S. Department of Education
One of the challenges with social media in the federal government is how to interact directly with followers. Often, we have limited capacity to reply to direct questions. Holding events such as a twitter townhall, however, allows a set timeframe for followers to directly interact with government representatives.
October 3, 2012
HHS is working aggressively to provide easy access to vast warehouses of health data and information. The HealthCare Finder API is one of the largest, and U.S. News & World Report has used this to create a tool to help consumers find the best health insurance plans for their specific needs.