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Posted in #HCSM

Social media: the way forward or a waste of time for physicians?

See on Scoop.itHealth Care Social Media Monitor

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

 Dr  Anne Marie Cunningham provides a strong case for the advantages of developing networks and figuring out who and what to pay attention to online.  On the other hand however, others believe that the use of social media places doctors at a professional and ethical risk and is essentially a waste of time for the already time-pressured physician. Professor DeCamp argues that the risks of
social media outweigh their benefits. Whatever your thoughts on the benefits and risks of social media, it is here to stay.

See on www.rcpe.ac.uk

Posted in #HCSM

“We are all patients.” No, you’re not.

Sharp insight as always from Carolyn Thomas

Carolyn Thomas's avatarHeart Sisters

by Carolyn Thomas  @HeartSisters

patientI read recently about a conference on breast reconstructive surgery following mastectomy, to which not one single Real Live Patient who had actually undergone breast reconstructive surgery following mastectomy was invited to participate. This is, sadly, yet another example of “Patients Excluded” health care conferences – in stark contrast to the growing number of notable conferences that have garnered the “Patients Included”designation.*

The result of attending a “Patients Excluded” conference is just as you might imagine: hundreds of people working in healthcare getting together to talk at each other about caring for people who aren’t even at the table. Or, as one physician arguing for  “Patients Excluded” conferences protested:

“I already hear patients’ stories all day long in our practice. Why should I have to listen to patients at my medical conferences?”

View original post 1,864 more words

Posted in #HCSM

More reasons for doctors and researchers to take the social-media plunge

See on Scoop.itHealth Care Social Media Monitor

I’ve come across so many helpful and insightful articles on medical and science professionals’ use of social media lately that I’m compelled to share a few. Last week on Wing of Zock, Cynthia Floyd Manley, associate director of public affairs and marketing at Vanderbilt University, shared nuggets from a recent conference on digital professionalism and reminded readers why maintaining a digital presence is so important for doctors. (She quoted Bryan Vartabedian, MD: “Physicians have two choices, really. They can participate in the discussion that is happening online and frame the story, or they can let someone else frame the story for them.”)

Earlier in the month, the PLOS blog Mind The Brain published a Q&A with a young scientist who uses Twitter to connect with other researchers and learn more about what’s happening in her field. She provided concrete tips for those scientists who want to dip their toes in the Twitter waters and also shared how the platform connects her with other academics:

I feel that with Twitter, my academic world expanded to include many colleagues I wouldn’t otherwise meet. I am now able to keep my finger on the academic pulse better. The information shared on Twitter is so much more current than you would find on journals or conferences. For instance, academics I follow post their latest articles on Twitter that would otherwise probably take me months to learn about. I can then ask questions of the authors themselves and chat with them. I think we all love to talk about our work!

And just today, MedCrunch featured a piece singing the praises of Twitter (which prolific blogger and social-media expert Kevin Pho, MD, calls here “the most powerful application for listening and for keeping informed about what’s happening in the science and medical communities”) and encouraging physicians to – at a minimum – create and maintain professional profiles on LinkedIn. As Susan Williams writes in her post, “defining your reputation by illustrating your credentials and your authority in your field affects two of the most important patient-doctor relationship traits: respect and trust.”

– See more at: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2013/12/16/more-reasons-for-doctors-and-researchers-to-take-the-social-media-plunge/#sthash.PPFXj2r6.dpuf

See on scopeblog.stanford.edu

Posted in #HCSM

Why Doctors Should Participate In Twitter Chats

Dr Matthew Katz, a community-based doctor dedicated to improving cancer care and health empowerment, was the guest on the latest  #HCHLITSS  Twitter chat. For those who may be unfamiliar with the phenomenon of a tweet chat – it is a pre-arranged chat that happens on Twitter through the use of updates called tweets. It includes a predefined #hashtag which links the tweets together in a virtual conversation. The #HCHLITSS acronym stands for Health Communication Health Literacy & Social Science, Of particular interest to me during the stimulating chat was Dr Katz’s view of what physicians and other healthcare providers can learn from participating in Twitter chats. According to Dr Katz, it is a way to listen in on patient concerns.

In fact so passionate is Dr Katz on the topic of healthcare social media that he believes it is a doctor’s moral obligation to add their voices and expertise to the discussions happening online.

In this Dr Katz echoes the words of Farris Timimi, M.D., medical director for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social  Media.

These [social media] tools help us reach so many more people; we can bring shared interactions into our practice and that is powerful … This isn’t an addition to your job. This is part of your job.  This is a conversation, and that is what we are trained to do … This is where our patients are these days and this is where we need to reach them. We can engage learners, patients and peers, and we are not limited by geography or time –

Social media is a radical shift in the way we communicate. The healthcare conversation is no longer a one-way narrative but is evolving into a global, participatory discussion. One of the most powerful ways I see this happening is in the modality of the tweet chat. The role Twitter plays in breaking down patient/provider barriers, disseminating and expanding the reach of healthcare information, widening social networks and co-creating a collaborative model of shared health information is for me one of the most exciting developments in social media. In the words of chat participant Elin Silveous, it represents:

Posted in #HCSM

Using Infographics to Increase Understanding of Clinical Trials

This is really interesting!

Jerry Matczak's avatarLilly Clinical Open Innovation

According to Centerwatch and CISCRP, 94 percent of people recognize the importance of participating in clinical research in order to assist in the advancement of medical science; and yet, 75 percent say that they have little to no knowledge about how the clinical research process works, or how to participate in it.

For many patients, information about clinical trials, whether online or offline, can be difficult to come by. It’s a given that deciding whether or not to participate in a clinical trial is a complicated process, with many risks and benefits to consider. The decision-making process is only made more difficult when, as clinical research professionals, we fail to make information available in a clear, friendly and accessible manner.

It has become apparent that traditional methods of communicating about clinical trials are not working well enough. What is yet to be fully explored is how new, digital forms of communication…

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Posted in Infographics, Marketing

21 Rules For Social Media Marketing In Healthcare

I am normally not a big fan of the word “rules” when it comes to social media, but if you want to be successful on social media and achieve results, you need to follow some basic guidelines. So, whether you call them rules, tips or guides, this infographic has some solid advice for those of you who wish to make social media part of your healthcare marketing.

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