Articles

Posted in HCSM

Twitter Moves Markets: Can It Impact Disease?

Posted on by Editor

For those who are engaged in social media, nothing is more powerful than an active Twitter account. Twitter demands engagement and fosters a sense of community. Medicine, although quick to adopt many new technologies has been slow to embrace social media outlets and, in particular, Twitter.

“The ability to share ideas and information in 140 characters provides a unique platform for physicians to communicate with one another, with patients and with the world. Twitter allows physicians to teach, to counsel, to support and to dispel rumors and myths. Twitter allows physicians from different parts of the world to consult with one another and share knowledge in order to determine the best treatment plan for a particular disease process or patient. Twitter affords patients with an opportunity to connect with other patients who may have similar medical problems and challenges.” Kevin Campbell M.D.

See on drkevincampbellmd.wordpress.com

Posted in HCSM

Policing The Internet: Physician Behavior In Cyberspace

Posted on by Editor

See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

Social Media is the final frontier for the doctor-patient relationship.  As physicians and healthcare providers we are held to high behavioral standards.  In addition, legal considerations abound in medicine today and will continue to be an issue until our country addresses tort reform.  As a profession, we must develop standards for online behavior based on good judgement and common sense.  In addition, we must learn to embrace the power of social media and maximize its potential positive impacts on our patients and our profession.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

"In spite of the potential pitfalls of social media, I believe that reaching out to patients and colleagues via cyberspace is the future of medicine and will positively impact our ability to provide healthcare in the future." Kevin R. Campbell, MD, FACC

See on www.thedoctorweighsin.com

Posted in HCSM

The Impact of Social Networks on Parents’ Vaccination Decisions

Posted on by Editor

See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

Parents decide whether their children are vaccinated, but they rarely reach these decisions on their own. Instead parents are influenced by their social networks, broadly defined as the people and sources they go to for information, direction, and advice. This study used social network analysis to formally examine parents’ social networks (people networks and source networks) related to their vaccination decision-making. In addition to providing descriptions of typical networks of parents who conform to the recommended vaccination schedule (conformers) and those who do not (nonconformers), this study also quantified the effect of network variables on parents’ vaccination choices.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

The conclusions of this study strongly suggest that social networks, and particularly parents’ people networks, play an important role in parents’ vaccination decision-making.

See on pediatrics.aappublications.org