All Blog Posts (517)

Last month’s Annals of Internal Medicine offered up some sound advice from the American College of Physicians and the U.S. Federation of State Medical Boards in regards to physicians and their use of…

As social media and mobile communication continues to become more popular, doctors and other medical professionals are confronting new challenges from patients who expect to always be connected to their caregivers. Should doctors be Facebook “friends” with their patients, be tweeting health tips and texting or emailing their clients? What are the privacy, ethical and medical implications of such interactions?

For the first time ever, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the…

New research released this week from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports that medical interns spend 12% of their time communicating with their patients and more than 40% behind a…

It is estimated that up to 80 percent of modern-day commercial flights are now conducted on autopilot. This sophisticated technology is praised for making flights safer. But can and should the same really be applied to healthcare? Will we boldly go where no health technology has gone before?

Apparently a group of scientists at Maastricht University Medical Hospital have developed a model that could enable cancer patients to have their treatment course chosen by a…

A patient was recently taught a social media lesson when he tweeted an inflammatory message about staff at his GP practice. Following a phone call with one of the practice’s receptionists, when he was apparently told that he would have to wait three months for an appointment, Mr Mat Cochrane wanted to complain to the management. He claims he was then told he should make a complaint in writing and was evidently annoyed…

This morning I saw an article in the Telegraph (it happens when you follow folks in the U.K.) discussing the results of a small social media study. Ten self-professed Facebook addicts and ten power-tweeters were asked to forgo social media for four weeks. No surprise, many of them started to tweak out a bit, stating they felt disconnected from…

With the recent debates in health care regarding our new system, the Consumer Electronics Association and other notable sources have given thought to digital health as a solution. One of the largest conflicts that our current medical system is facing is a shortage of primary care physicians, (PCPs) . According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, by 2015, the U.S. will have 68,500 primary care physicians.

Will that be enough for our growing population? Well we’re now…

A new study from Brigham Young University has found that while most of us go online regularly for help in diagnosing health issues, very few of us actually post information, questions or experiences on health topics.

According to the study, less than 15 percent of us post health information online – compared to 60 percent of us who go…

I may be speaking alone here, but I certainly do not remember the last series of shots I received, or the recent symptoms I had which resulted in a doctors visit. Cue in HealthKeep, a health-based social network, looking to make medical records less complicated. A recent piece in Mashable reports that HealthKeep is looking to help people organize their patient history with a timeline of symptoms, medications and…

On Monday the UK’s Royal College of GPs (RCGP) launched the RCGP Social Media Highway Code, a practical guide for healthcare professionals wanting to communicate with patients through social media. The Code is a great step towards encouraging and enabling enhanced engagement with patients online. It’s exciting to see the healthcare industry embracing the…

Only One-Third of Parents Follow Doctors’ Orders for Kids All of The Time

A recent report from the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, says “only one-third of parents follow doctors’ orders for kids all of the time.” In contrast, these parents are least likely to follow advice on discipline (40 percent), putting the child to sleep (18 percent) and watching TV…

In an industry where medical and scientific expertise is paramount, social media can be a challenge. While patients and the larger medical ecosystem often depend on social media in research and engagement around their health, one can’t assume that those properties are managed by MDs … and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.   

For example, more than 90 percent of hospitals are using social media according to a recent article in…

No doubt, we are living in a great time. On May 5^th, 2013 LinkedIn will celebrate 10 years since its launch. Amazing what a difference a decade makes.  More than a few folks thought Reid Hoffman was a nut with his vision to provide a place for people to make their resumes public. Today, professionals all over the world openly share their credentials.

Fast forward to today where you don’t have to look far to find a lot of other…

It’s true. Calories are now cheaper, and exercise is more expensive. Recently, the WSJ reported that most of the world has grown fatter since the 1970s: Food prices have fallen in relation to incomes. Jobs have become less strenuous. And to top it off, people must pay to exercise.

Coke is one brand trying to live with this reality, in both digital…

According to some recent findings by Pew Research Center, covered by Kaiser Health News, Facebook and Yelp may prove as effective a tool in evaluating hospital quality as traditional means of measurement. In reviewing the Facebook and Yelp comments from hospital patients, researchers found that they aligned well with outcomes from mortality rates and…

On Friday, Abigail Phillips of Global Healthcare (http://bit.ly/Y8AFQ3) gave some tips about how to manage social media strategy to avoid PR mistakes and to build a positive online reputation for healthcare executives all over the globe. Some key insights include understanding that the patient is now the media, the need for positive doctor/patient communication, and that content…

The Pew Internet & American Life Project's “Health Online 2013” survey found roughly 70-75% of Internet users aged 18-64 search online for health information, as do 58% of Internet users aged 65 and over.

Today, our docs are feeling the pressure to connect with us online but HIPAA can get in the way with our traditional online efforts. Mashable discusses three ways to take advantage of…

By Palmer Reuther

In this article by mHIMSS Editor Eric Wicklund, the subject of physician adoption of social media, or lack thereof, is discussed. It's an interesting topic and points to a trend that I believe we'll see more of in the near future. For physicians, time is valuable and free time is fleeting which explains one of the main reasons why physicians have not generally…

The smartphone is rapidly becoming the first screen for patients across the world and the infographic below details the global uptick in the app trend. Not surprisingly, 35 is the average age for mobile health users-- an interesting point where people begin to become caretakers for the parents.

What stands out to you about this infographic?

Source:…

When I come down with an illness, the first thing I do is head straight to the internet to look up my symptoms. It’s empowering at times. I feel better prepared when I do get an appointment with my doctor. I’m definitely not alone.

According to a blog written by Riche Chelko, president and founder of The Chelko Consulting Group. patients…