Social Networks Improve Post-op Pain and Length of Stay
As many of my faithful readers know, Dr. Val is a big fan of Web 2.0 principles (blogging, online communities, wikis, forums, chats, podcasts, etc.) I’m even leading a weight loss group online, and there are almost 1400 members already. Although I’ve been trying hard to lead by example, I’ve had occasional hiccups in my own weight loss due to the sweet lure of fine dining. Could YOU resist silky, black sesame panna cotta with butter crunch tuile and spicy cranberry compote? Well maybe you could. For me, resistance is futile.
But I digress.
What I really wanted to point out (before my thoughts were derailed by deliciousness), is that research is now confirming what many of us bloggers have known instinctively: social networking can improve the health care experience. In the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, post operative pain and length of stay were reduced for those who had more social support. This means that the more frequent and broad your social contacts, the less likely you are to be bothered by pain, and the more likely you are to get out of the hospital faster. Let’s hear it for using CarePages, FaceBook, and other online support groups while in the hospital, and perhaps as outpatients as well.
And if feeling supported isn’t enough to get you on the right track, more research in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that mail reminders can improve post-heart attack medication compliance. Perhaps email reminders would work just as well (and kill fewer trees?) One thing is for sure – Health 2.0 tools can make an impact on peoples lives and I’m excited to be a part of that.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
The study also mentions “randomized controlled trial of massage as adjuvant treatment.” Could you explain “adjuvant” in this context? Are the conclusions about social network contact independent of the “controlled trial of massage” or was the massage part of the trial?
Health 3.0? Health 2.0 has only had two conferences (one last week in San Diego), with another one planned for the fall! I will have to check it out.
I think blogs, care pages and the likes are the greatest. My baby sister had A.M.L our family started a blog three years ago. We all wrote, family, friends, everyone. My sister did not make the “cut” but she was or is (not sure of the tense) a testament for living much longer then the doctors said. Everyone said it was because of the support she had, it was amazing, and it wasn’t until the last five days that her life was truly awful-until then while it wasn’t good, it was worth living.
I made a comment earlier when you posted about running with and for your friend who has colon cancer. I could give an infomercial regarding support and friendship when you have a horrendous diagnosis. Hope, love, great doctors, can change the landscape.
You have a great blog, and you must be a great M.D.
A lot of my patients find support on ACOR websites. I take care of a lot of sarcoma patients. Sarcomas are rare (so is childhood cancer), so most of them feel alone in the beginning, not knowing anyone else who has had a sarcoma (or a child with cancer). Finding people online who share similar experiences is an immense help.