Health World Web

Talking about using social media in the healthcare industry and actually doing something with social media that makes a difference are two totally different things. Ann Engelland MD clearly understands the power of social media and her 4000 newsletter recipients are clearly glad she does.

Doctors and the Power of Social Media

Social media is a connection between people. Whether you are using Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn or FaceBook, the main attraction of these websites are the connections people make on a daily basis. How many people log into their personal social media accounts every day just to check on the people they are connected with and what they have posted? Here in lies the brilliance of social media and the relationships doctor’s have with their patients.

For Ann Engelland MD, for instance, specializing in adolescent medicine means treating people in the social media age group. These patients talk more with the connections they have on social media websites than they do with their parents, so medical questions and problems are often left to the doctor’s office. With tools like blogging, newsletters and websites, doctors can answer some of the questions parents have in a more open setting so, potentially; millions of viewers have access to the questions they are seeking answers for.
Times are changing and so are the demands of the patient. Soon, patients will not only have the expectation of more education but the social media connections to fulfill those expectations. Limitless information, limitless knowledge and a connection on a whole new level is the true power of the healthcare / social medical relationship.

When a FaceBook or Twitter users log into their account, they normally are not looking for medical advice. That could all change in the near future. Some doctors are already posting to Social Media sites in an attempt to connect with their patients on a more personal level. One of the main concerns a physician has is time and patient load. With the use of Social Media in healthcare, the patient can reach the doctor informally and ask a question or make a comment about the service they received in the office with a Tweet or a comment on the wall.

Dr. Shelley S. Binkley is a private practice doctor out of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. She is one of the many doctors who are using social media to connect with her patients in an informal manner. This informal communication allows the patient to assimilate information on an as needed basis when they have the time to read and even reread that information.

Dr. Binkley uses a personal / business blog and Twitter to keep in contact with current patients and offer information to people who are not associated with her practice. That is the great thing about social media and its use in the medical profession. People do not need to be a patient of the doctor in order to benefit from the knowledge shared. This knowledge is at the source of making great healthcare decisions.

In addition to offering new and exciting information about the doctor and the practice, Dr. Binkley also provides more in depth information to her patients and visitors about specific health conditions and concerns. There is only so much time in the office visit to discuss these specifics and with the use of social media, the information provided has no limitations. The patient can learn more and they instantly obtain a reference guide to their diagnosis or their treatment that can be referred to over and over again. If the patients have questions they can comment on the blog, Tweet the doctor or contact her via her contact information provided on the blog.

The world of social media is all about connections. Doctors now see these connections as a way to provide more information and more knowledge to their patients and to every reader on the Internet. Commendations go to Dr. Binkley for connecting with her patients on a whole new level.

Do you Tweet? Does Facebook appear on your computer screen more than your email? These are the signs that social media has taken you by storm and they are not limited to the computer geek with too much time on their hands. Doctors are now using social media to connect with their patients in real time and provide information and support where once there was only a voicemail or answering service.
Imagine your doctor tweeting you with the answer to a question you posted only 4 minutes before. Twitter and other social media websites provide more than a place to socialize with friends and the professionals of the world are taking great notice.
Tweeting Between Patients
“Tweeple” are flocking to Twitter to post what they are doing right this minute. But, hidden in the cracks, or not so hidden, with over 1700 followers in first three months on Twitter, is an OB/Gyn, Shelley S. Binkley, M.D., with her finger on the pulse of social media power. Dr. Binkley (@healthewoman) says:

“I find Twitter very exciting because it allows me to connect with people in real time about their specific health issues, or about general topics in health care.  “

Communicating with patients using social media may currently seem like novelty, but what is more appropriate than a quick note about common pregnancy symptoms that an entire sector of the population can read?  These physicians are taking the questions presented to them by their patients and posting the relevant information via Twitter and their blogs for the entire world to see. More people can learn and self educate than ever before.
The use of social media does not stop with Twitter. Blogs are also a great place for a more in depth question and answer forum and articles aimed at educating the woman (and her man) on the power of pregnancy and women’s health issues. Broadening the horizon a bit, the gastroenterologist can use a blog to teach patients the best way to prevent the painful symptoms of GERD. The dentist can blog about the worst foods a child can eat for cavities. The list of potential topics is endless.

Dr. Binkley adds:

 “My blog (http://healthewoman.org)has been most beneficial in providing patients with health care information in a format they can assimilate on their own time (i.e. not under the time pressure of an office visit). Through my blog, patients self-educate before or after their visits so they can supplement information discussed at their office visits. They also learn about my practice philosophy, credentials, etc.”

HealthWorldWeb uses blogging as a means of connecting patients with information they can use to make an educated decision about their health care choices. We have always known the power of information and education and it is thrilling to see that doctors all over the United States and abroad are taking social media under their wings.

It is always amazing to me the scope of posts hitting the pages of HealthWorldWeb. Looking back over the last week, these posts are full of information, insight and the knowledge needed to bolster good communication between HealthWorldWeb forum and blog users. The communities are on fire – this is what the users of HWW thought were important this week.

Kids and Their Immunity
Kids love to play outside. The posters in the Children community of HWW wonder if playing outside increases a child’s immunity to sickness. The debate leaned toward the side of the exercise with many posters noting that children who exercise more tend to be less ill. The Internet is full of medical information agreeing with this point.
According to one article on an Aetna website, children who suffer from asthma reap great benefits from daily exercise. These benefits include less medication and fewer asthmatic events. The study was performed at the University of Sao Paulo Brazil.
Parents who worry about their children getting sick from playing outside are losing the great benefits of exercise in general. Exercise habits bleed from childhood into adulthood. The habits children learn when they are younger will mold their adult lives so parents should certainly encourage children to exercise and even get out there and exercise with them.

Cancer, BPA and Children
There have been hot debates over BPA being found in several plastic products used by children and adults on a daily basis. BPA, or Bisphenol A, is an ingredient in the plastic used to make baby bottles and water bottles among other household items. According to HWW user Aeda, BPA has now been found in the bath care supplies children use as well.  The affected supplies include “children’s shampoos, bath gels, lotions and wipes.”
BPA has been linked to neurologic disorders including behavioral disorders. The impact of BPA being found in these daily use items could be catastrophic for the companies creating these items. The debate on HWW went further to discuss the need for more investigation into the event. According to users, the Chinese government is looking into the Johnson & Johnson products, but the United States government has yet to make this event a priority.
When researching this occurrence a little further, there were articles online from 2007 to present stating that children’s health care supplies as well as adult health care supplies all contained known carcinogens. The most recent study was posted on WebMD. The article stated that Japan and Sweden have banned formaldehyde from use in bath and health care products while Europe has banned 1,4 Dioxane. These are the two ingredients found in the children’s bath care products.

This week has been a busy time for the bloggers and readers of the HealthWorldWeb communities. With Diet Guidelines, and Obesity both pulling in the top traffic and posts this week.

Diet Guidelines Information - User Stacey555

User Stacey555 has posted a link in her personal blog on HealthWorldWeb. The link will take the reader to a website offering information on Low Glycemic Foods. Low glycemic foods are foods know to cause less of a reaction from insulin in the body. While these foods are perfect for the diabetic, in most cases, they are also fantastic for people who want to lose weight and curb hunger naturally.

The majority of increased hunger comes from the insulin crash after eating High Glycemic Foods. These foods most often fall into the category of high carbohydrates. A low glycemic food does not have the same effect on the body as other carbohydrate containing foods. The insulin levels do not spike after eating low glycemic foods and thus there is no crash and instant hunger an hour after eating.

Fantastic resource Stacey555!

Obesity and Mental Decline - User Lyle

Lyle is an avid poster in the Aging and Baby Boomers communities. This week, Lyle opens up the eyes of the aging population about a link between obesity in elderly males and decreased cognitive function. According to Lyles post, the more fat tissue an elderly male has on the body, the more chance they will suffer from a decrease in cognitive function as they age. The females in the study presented with an opposite reaction.

Obesity has already been linked to sleep problems, increased chance of diabetes and an increase in depression in the aging population.

Great topic Lyle!