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Medicine in the Age of Twitter
There was recently a great article by Pauline W. Chen, M.D. in the New York Times. The article, titled "Medicine in the Age of Twitter," tells a remarkable story from a physician's point of view. According to Dr. Chen, "there continues to be anecdotal evidence regarding social media’s potential to strengthen the patient-doctor bond." Social media represents an opportunity for physicians to reach out to patients who may otherwise be isolated. What makes this article compelling is Dr. Chen speaking about her personal experiences with patients and expressing her point of view as a physician.
Acknowledging that adding yet another communication tool for physicians to manage could become onerous, Dr. Chen goes on to point out some of the other potential benefits of social media in medicine:
"And social media can also help patients and physicians widen illness support networks, which in turn can augment the patient-doctor relationship. Health care providers have long known that patients with chronic or life-threatening diseases benefit from support groups made up of people who can sympathize and empathize with them. But such support is difficult for physicians or hospitals and clinics to cobble together when patients and families are physically isolated or homebound, or when they have an orphan disease like Eddie’s." (Source: New York Times, June 11, 2009)
The question is, do medical professionals want to open up this kind of dialogue with patients? What happens when we open the flood gates? These are important question to address. Check out this terrific article online at http://tinyurl.com/ktbrt6.
Post by Dan Dunlop, The Healthcare Marketing Community & Blog
Acknowledging that adding yet another communication tool for physicians to manage could become onerous, Dr. Chen goes on to point out some of the other potential benefits of social media in medicine:
"And social media can also help patients and physicians widen illness support networks, which in turn can augment the patient-doctor relationship. Health care providers have long known that patients with chronic or life-threatening diseases benefit from support groups made up of people who can sympathize and empathize with them. But such support is difficult for physicians or hospitals and clinics to cobble together when patients and families are physically isolated or homebound, or when they have an orphan disease like Eddie’s." (Source: New York Times, June 11, 2009)
The question is, do medical professionals want to open up this kind of dialogue with patients? What happens when we open the flood gates? These are important question to address. Check out this terrific article online at http://tinyurl.com/ktbrt6.
Post by Dan Dunlop, The Healthcare Marketing Community & Blog
Tags: dan dunlop, jennings, medicine in the age of twitter, pauline chen, social media
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