The amount of printed materials that exist in healthcare organizations is staggering. Just think about how many community newsletters, brochures and flyers go out to your audience.

Is it really necessary?

Since we recently changed our address, logo and contact information, I’m suddenly aware of how much printed material we produce. Luckily, we have the chance to make a fresh, green start.

Step 1: Assess print needs. You'll start to see a lot of single-panel brochures creep out from the 1980's. But does every department require printed information? Maybe back then, but certainly not today, right?

Step 2: Cut costs. Think about posting info to your Web site, instead of printing 10,000 brochures about your aquatic therapy services, for instance.

Step 3: Find a better way. Why not post pdfs and have managers and employees print them out for patients or visitors upon request? Why not integrate info into one, all-encompassing capabilities brochure?

Step 4: Communicate the “why.” Marketing materials (especially printed) can be crutches for a lot of departments. I’ve heard comments like “But we’ve always had these brochures” or “We do a flyer for this every year.” OK, fine. But we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t look at the “why” and figure out if there’s a more effective, responsible way.

Step 5: Adjust, adjust, adjust. This is important to do after your new fiscal year begins.

Do you have any more ideas? Please share!

I have a small handful of followers on Twitter—a few friends, some business contacts and adult site spammers. This is largely because I have not invested much time to my account. If someone follows me, I think, “Cool,” anticipating the day when I decide to do something with it.

That day has yet to arrive.

Professionally, Twitter is a great communication tool for your hospital. Sherman Health has done a few successful events through Twitter. We have more than 3,300 followers.

But with my own Twitter account, I don't know how to draw the line between my professional and personal life. If I were to follow a hysterical, inappropriately titled feed, would my followers be offended? What if a colleague doesn't like my tweets?

I just want to learn how to draw the line. Maybe it's time I ask the "Twittersphere" (whatever that means) for help with some of these questions.

What do you suggest I do? I'm still not sold on the idea, but let me know @joshmccolough.

And they very well may be. Fine-looking. Skilled-looking. The kind of surgical team that you want to operate on you if you need a minimally invasive hip replacement.

I guess.

But we really wouldn’t know them from any other radiology team, nursing team or rugby team, for that matter.

Over the holidays, I did a lot of Midwestern driving—Illinois to Indiana to Ohio. And when my daughter was either asleep or lost in her Nintendo DS, I have nothing to do but look at billboards and give each my instant, internal critique.

There are tons of healthcare billboards, and they never cease to underwhelm me in their predictability. They tend to fall into a few categories:

• Look at our world-class medical staff. Come use our services!
• Look at our new award. Come use our services!
• Look at our fuzzy image of “compassionate care.” Come use our services!

There's only so many things you can say about your hospital to get people to notice as they drive past 70 miles per hour. Billboards are intended to be quickly noticed.

But do they have to be so easily forgotten?

Working at a hospital, I know that you are under political pressure to advertise what you know won’t make good ads. But billboards especially are expensive. So, try to make the argument that if you’re spending the money, make the billboards worthwhile.

And while your surgical team may be reasonably photogenic, I promise you, they just aren’t board-worthy.

Click here for an example of a worthwhile board.