Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Social Media in Healthcare


There have always been questions on the implications of social media in healthcare. In a paper titled ‘Transforming Healthcare Through Social Media’ I had discussed why the industry was adopting social networks. You may read the article here-
I also chanced upon a piece that reaffirmed this view on the increasing use of social media applications in the healthcare industry.

For instance, a group of physicians in France have been using Google+ to discuss their cases. They have formed a close circle on G+ and upload cases that they want to discuss for conclusive treatments. It may be the economic conditions in Europe but using the network to clinically discuss a case supported by images and videos is really a very effective method of getting the right clinical expertise. Read a little more about this fresh approach here on http://scienceroll.com/2011/10/23/case-presentations-on-google/

Similarly, physician groups in Spain have been using a Facebook group called Med & Learn to connect with each on certain medical cases. They not only discuss case studies from around the world but also their personal experiences in daily practice. A few Spanish USMLE aspirants have also been using Facebook for such similar purposes. To know more visit http://www.somosmedicina.com/

In the dental field too, there has been an increase in the number of cases being discussed online. It’s an excellent method to exchange vital information on newest medical developments and sharing of knowledge. The only glitch here seems to be issues regarding security and patient confidentiality that need to be overcome within the boundaries of national healthcare policies.


 By Dr.Vikram Venkateswaran, Founder & Director | TheSocialPeople

Dr. Vikram Venkateswaran is a marketing professional with almost 10 years of experience. He is passionate about public health, blogging, writing, public speaking and lawn tennis. He can be followed on his twitter handle @drvikram. Visit his blog at Docter Soccer.





Founder Speak is our weekly column by the founders of TheSocialPeople- Viral Thaker & Dr.Vikram Venkateswaran.



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