June 9th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Opinion
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This NCI Cancer Bulletin article on the use of social media at this week’s American Society of Clinical Oncology is worth reading. It showcases how a major medical organization sees social media unfolding at a national meeting. I’ll be following #ASCO11 closely where some sources predict the Tweet count could reach 10-15,000.
What caught my eye was discussion surrounding the speaker-imposed restriction of Twitter at scientific presentations. Apparently some meetings such as the Biology of Genomes Conference at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, presenters have to grant permission to allow the use of Twitter (this apparently will not be the case at ASCO).
This is a quote from the meeting media policy at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Often, during the course of a meeting, a scientist will present a discovery, method, or current project that is not yet complete or published. Therefore, to prevent the premature release of confidential information, we require all media attendees to obtain permission in advance from the relevant scientist prior to reporting any spoken or printed information gleaned from the meetings. Media attendees are encouraged to approach scientists out-of-session (e.g. during coffee breaks, poster sessions, wine and cheese parties, etc.) for informal discussions, formal interviews, and/or permission to report sensitive information at the appropriate time. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
June 4th, 2011 by Berci in Opinion, Video
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My old friend and mentor, Ves Dimov, MD at Clinical Cases and Images shared some great instructions about how to start using social media as medical professionals.
- Start on Twitter, expand to a blog as natural progression.
- Input your blog posts automatically to a Facebook like/fan page.
- Listen to the leading physicians, nurses and patients’ voices on Twitter, and reply.
- Comment on blogs.
- Do not be afraid to share your expertise.
- Comply with HIPAA and common sense.
Also here is what Ves thinks about using Twitter.
I have published a series of similar entries on my Medicine 2.0 page.
*This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll*
May 27th, 2011 by BarbaraFicarraRN in Health Tips, Opinion
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Social networking allows doctors, nurses and other health professionals to deeply connect and engage with the community and their colleagues.
“We are standing at the precipice of a new online revolution in health care. As more and more health experts embrace the Internet and increase their social media activity, health information seekers will undoubtedly benefit in profound ways.” [Source: Mashable]
Dynamic health and medical professionals engaged in social networking, using Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and YouTube are on the front-line of new modern medicine.
Today’s modern medicine is all about the patient. Participating, partnering and developing a professional relationship is paramount.
While many health consumers are searching the web for support, reassurance and specific health news and information; doctors and nurses continue to question the value of the internet for patients.
Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Blogs are not a waste of time for health professionals because it offers value.
Social networking sites and blogs are a powerful and phenomenal platform to educate patients, raise awareness of health issues and it offers a forum to collaborate and connect. It gives a voice to patients and it allows for the conversation to get started with their doctors and other health care professionals.
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals can help validate what is important for patients.
3 reasons why social networking is not a waste of time Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Health in 30*
May 22nd, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Opinion
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This Techcrunch post, The Illusion of Social Networks, is worth thinking about. The author Semil Shah suggests that we have a tendency to use social networks to create illusions for our audiences. And over time these illusions compound to create something that may not reflect real life. It’s a type of socical psychomanipulation.
But I wonder if Shah overstates the shady side of human social conduct. I’m more optimistic about the promise of human connectedness. The crowd is smarter than we think. And while we can create any story possible, it’s ultimately the responsibility of the listening masses to decide what’s real. It’s our job to ask the hard questions. Be it television, the web, or our own homes, we’re individually responsible for who we let into our world. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
May 17th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
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I’ve been to several major medical meetings recently and Twitter is beginning to see traction. Slowly but surely Twitter hashtag use among doctors at meetings is growing. The vendors are there, too. I attended AGA/Digestive Disease Week this week and I have been unimpressed with the attempts of vendors to participate in the back channel. Those trying seem inept at real dialog.
Remember that a meeting’s Twitter feed is a communication channel, not an opportunity for spam. Go ahead and remind us about your booth but only after contributing in a way that serves everyone in a non-promotional way (one pitch tweet for 10-20 informational tweets).
What works is sharing, not selling. Take interest in the attendees. Watch the feed. Listen. Re-tweet the interesting stuff. Share some breaking medical information. Reach out to attendees in a genuine, respectful way. And fear is no excuse – because the most memorable dialog will not involve your drug or medical device.
Start there and Twitter will work for not only for you but everyone.
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
