Some of those "fake" Facebook accounts are doctors hiding from their patients

A recent CNET story states that "Facebook estimates that 4.8 percent are duplicate accounts, 2.4 percent are user-misclassified accounts, and 1.5 percent are undesirable accounts." Some of those face accounts are probably doctors.

Have you tried to search for your doctor on Facebook? Many of them are "hiding" from their patients because they don't want to face an awkward situation where a patient tries to "friend" them. Doctors need to have their privacy too. As a result, some doctors create pseudonyms so they can still connect with family and friends.

Facebook continues to modify their privacy settings, but it's nearly impossible to completely "hide" from the rest of the world unless you have zero friends connected to your account. As soon as you expand your social network, people will be able to find you.

Other physicians are embracing social media and leveraging it for viral marketing, peer-to-peer communication, population health education, and advocacy. These physicians are very visible on Facebook. They're blogging, using Twitter, and putting themselves out there on the Internet.

How about your doctor? I bet that you haven't been able to find him/her on Facebook. If you do find him/her, don't be offended if that person rejects your friend request. It's nothing personal.

Sharecare and Walgreens Launch Largest Searchable Drug, Supplement and Wellness Database on Facebook

“Answers” app gives Walgreens fans convenient access to vault of expert health care information

(Atlanta, GA – March 20, 2011) – Sharecare, an expert question and answer online platform addressing health topics, and Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG), the nation’s largest drugstore chain, announce the launch of a new “Answers” application providing access to the largest searchable drug, supplement and wellness database on Facebook today. The application, which is integrated into Walgreens Facebook page, gives Walgreens followers convenient access to a first-of-its-kind interactive portal containing valuable health information and resources.

Hope to see you at the 2011 Connected Health Symposium in Boston #CHS11

I'm getting very excited to attend the 2011 Connected Health Symposium (Oct 20-21 in Boston).

I'll be speaking on a panel discussion on Tuesday: Expert panel #5: Facebooking Health: Scouting Out the Latest Trends in Online Patient Communities and Social Media (Plaza)

Moderator: Lisa Gualtieri, PhD, Assistant Professor, Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine
- John Brownstein, PhD, Research Faculty, Children's Hospital Boston; Director, Computational Epidemiology Group, Informatics Program, Children's Hospital Boston
- Chris Cartter, General Manager, MeYou Health
- Tara Cousineau, PhD, Founder and CEO, BodiMojo
- Joseph Kim, MD, President, Medical Communications Media; Founder and Editor of MedicalSmartphones.com

I really look forward to being back in Boston. I'll be back to MIT to see how it's changed over the years. Maybe I'll go running along the Esplanade.

Follow the Twitter hashtag #CHS11 to see all the tweets from the 2011 Connected Health Symposium.

I hope to see you in Boston for the 2011 Connected Health Symposium (I'll be speaking)

Make sure to register for the 2011 Connected Health Symposium. I'll be speaking on expert panel #5 titled, "Facebooking Health: Scouting Out the Latest Trends in Online Patient Communities and Social Media." Make sure to catch me on Thursday, October 20, 2011. I also look forward to revisiting MIT while I'm in Boston.

2011 Connected Health Symposium
October 20-21, 2011
Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers

You can register here.

Founded in 1995 by Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals, the Center for Connected Health develops new strategies to move health care from the hospital and doctor's office into the day-to-day lives of patients. Leveraging information technology -- cell phones, computers, networked devices and simple remote monitoring tools -- the Center helps providers and patients manage chronic conditions, maintain health and wellness, and improve adherence, engagement and clinical outcomes.

Here's a certified CME activity designed to teach physicians about the appropriate use of social media #SoMeCME

The phrase "social media" is poorly understood by health care professionals. There are many misconceptions and myths related to terms like Twitter, Facebook, etc. These social media tools can be used to improve medication adherence, but most health care professionals are not even using them for professional purposes.

I invite you to join me in this certified CME activity:

• Video Roundtable 3: Social Media to Improve Medication Adherence

Medication adherence remains a persistent and pertinent issue in health care. Nonadherence poses challenges to adequate control of the target condition and often leads to further unnecessary complications. Many of the latest practice management and communication technologies afford clinicians the opportunity improve patient medication adherence.

This online CME activity will accomplish the following:

1. Outline the appropriate ways of communicating with colleagues and with patients on social media websites
2. Describe how social media can be used to communicate with patients about the importance of medication adherence.

I'll be presenting in this upcoming live webinar: Using Social Media in Medicine

Join me in this upcoming live webinar about social media in medicine. I'll be presenting with HCPLive Director of Digital Content Sean Johnson on Thursday, June 16th for a Social Media 101 primer. We’ll help you get on your way with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, covering the ways in which you can utilize each of these platforms to serve you in your professional life.

#SocialMedia in Medicine
Thursday, June 16, 2011 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EDT

I'll be speaking about some of my experiences using social media and provide a physician's perspective on this topic.

This one-hour webinar will cover topics like:

* The difference between fans, followers, and friends
* How to follow a medical conference on Twitter
* Using hash tags to find real-time information on any topic
* How to market your practice/organization using social media

Register for the webinar here.

Make sure you don't miss this exciting event!

Physician fired from hospital for using Facebook

There's a story on Boston.com about a physician who was fired from a hospital for posting information about a trauma patient on Facebook. Although the physician did not use the patient's name, "she wrote enough that others in the community could identify the patient, according to a board filing."

Dr. Alexandra Thran, 48, was fired from Westerly Hospital in Rhode Island. It seems to me that we really need more information about this situation.  Doctors are using social media for a variety of different things. In many situations we disguise the facts about a case, but perhaps this is not enough.

Growing use of social media in the CME industry #acme2011

Last week, I was in San Francisco attending the Alliance for CME annual conference. A number of presentations included different elements of social media in the certified continuing medical education process. Some organizations were using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to conduct needs assessments. Others were relying on social media for physician engagement and to increase participation. Some groups were educating physicians about the appropriate use of social media. After all, there are significant patient privacy issues that are intimately connected with social media and we wouldn't want physicians to use social media inappropriately.

What's interesting is that those working in the CME industry are also using social media for professional purposes. The LinkedIn groups were buzzing with activity about the upcoming Alliance meeting as attendees shared ideas and generated buzz about the conference. Attendees also used the Twitter hashtag #acme2011 to refer to the conference. The Alliance for CME recently launched a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and a LinkedIn group. Other CME groups are doing similar things to leverage social media resources.

2011 will be a year where we'll be seeing much more social media activity in the world of CME. Let's see how we can all use social media to enhance the education of health care professionals. 

More focus on social media here at the Alliance for CME #acme2011

There's a greater focus on social media and new technologies here at the Alliance for CME annual conference. It's great to see how organizations are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and other social media networks to deliver professional education.

The Alliance for CME has also jumped into the world of social media by launching a Facebook page, a LinkedIn group, and a Twitter account.

I think 2011 will be a year where we'll see more social media involved in certified medical education activities. Medical education providers are thinking about different ways to incorporate social media into formal CME activites. Plus, we're looking at the use of social media for the needs assessment process, outcomes measurement, and for educational research.

I'm also participating in the Emerging Technologies Committee for the Alliance for CME. This is a brand new group that will be looking at the use of newer technologies in the world of CME.

Evolving role of social media in the world of CME #ACME2011

I am attending the Alliance for CME annual conference in San Francisco. This afternoon, I attended a great session focused around the use of social media in the setting of professional continuing medical education or CME. We are just starting to see some early examples of social media utiliztion among those of us working in the continuing medical education industry. Groups are using Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to connect with physicians, patients, and educators. These are certainly interesting times as we adopt new communications technologies in the medical education field.

Follow updates from the meeting on Twitter: #ACME2011

The Alliance for CME embraces social media

The Alliance for CME has joined the social networking world! You can now stay on top of the latest events, update and announcements from the Alliance on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

• Like the Alliance for CME on Facebook here.
• Follow the Alliance for CME on Twitter here.
• Join the Alliance for CME LinkedIn Group here.

It's great to see the Alliance for CME embracing the world of social media. 

U.S. Consumers seeking medical advice from social websites

Last week, Accenture released a report indicating that "More Than Two-Thirds of U.S. Consumers Seek Medical Advice Via the Internet and Social Media." In the press release, they say:

The survey of more than 850 consumers suggests that pharmaceutical companies that are not fully leveraging multiple online channels are missing a real opportunity to address this captive audience.

It should be interesting to see how pharmaceutical companies react to this data. Perhaps they already realize that social media websites are underutilized in this modern age where many people spend more time virtually "living" in these social communities. People are spending so much time on websites like Facebook. You can play games there, you can build imaginary kingdoms, and you can stay connected with real people.

Perhaps this also points to opportunities for physicians and hospitals to reach these consumers on social media websites. Medical centers that have spent the time to develop social media policies and strategies seem to have found some effective and creative marketing strategies to reach patients who require medical services.

Support the Fresh Air Fund on Facebook

Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps.

You can show your support of the Fresh Air Fund by "liking" it on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/freshairfund

You can also follow them on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FreshAirFund

Mayo Clinic launches Center for Social Media

The Mayo Clinic has launched the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. Mayo Clinic was on TIME's 50 best websites of 2010.  The Mayo Clinic is all over Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Now, they're going to fully embrace the social media revolution through their Social Media Center.

So what's this Social Media Center all about?

The Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media exists to improve health globally by accelerating effective application of social media tools throughout Mayo Clinic and spurring broader and deeper engagement in social media by hospitals, medical professionals and patients.

Mayo Clinic’s Social Media Philosophy:

Mayo Clinic believes individuals have the right and responsibility to advocate for their own health, and that it is our responsibility to help them use social media tools to get the best information, connect with providers and with each other, and inspire healthy choices. We intend to lead the health care community in applying these revolutionary tools to spread knowledge and encourage collaboration among providers, improving health care quality everywhere.

Mission of the Center:

Lead the social media revolution in health care, contributing to health and well being for people everywhere.

Vision for the Center:

Mayo Clinic will be the authentic voice for patients and health care professionals, building relationships through the revolutionary power of social media.

You can learn more here: http://socialmedia.mayoclinic.org

Mayo Clinic to open social media center

According to the StarTribune:

Mayo Clinic is opening a Center for Social Media to train other health care organizations to use Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to connect patients and doctors. The new center will run workshops, offer consulting and host conferences.

Here are some of the specifics:

• Mayo Clinic is opening a Center for Social Media to train other health care organizations to use Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to connect patients and doctors.
• The center will employ about eight people and have $800,000 a year in initial funding.
• In addition to marketing, Aase said he hopes to explore using social media to deliver continuing medical education courses for physicians and also help Mayo's 56,000 employees communicate better among themselves.

There's definitely a need for hospitals and health care professionals to get more involved in social media. In fact, they need to develop policies and strategies that will ultimately take their organizations to new levels. I like the idea of using social media to deliver continuing medical education or CME courses, but unless they're strictly talking about podcasting technology, they'll be facing many challenges because of the rules and regulations that govern electronic CME (computer-based continuing education for physicians). Regardless, I think it will be great to see doctors and hospitals using social media to engage their patients and to communicate among colleagues.

Vote for the WWHI

I got this request today on Facebook and it was from a high school friend (do you still keep up with your high school friends?):

Will you go to http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/263954097-womens-world-health-initiative and vote for WWHI, the non-profit I volunteer with? It's for $20,000 from Chase and it would help us so much.

Support the WOMENS WORLD HEALTH INITIATIVE  through the Chase Community Giving Project. Here's a snippet about the WWHI:

We provide women with the most basic human right – life – by giving women in the most vulnerable populations access to basic healthcare and means to contribute to their own well being. What we do...... » Train local women as midwives to build sustainable, local health care systems. » Increase access to quality care through technology innovation. » Train local doctors’ to provide emergency, life-saving care. » Integrate economic incentives with interventions so as to increase sustainability. By integrating medical care with economic viability and incentives, Women’s World Health Initiative has found an unique and effective way of empowering women within their own context and communities.

Doctors using alias names on Facebook

I know several doctors who're on Facebook, but they're using an alias instead of their real names. Why?  They want to maximize their privacy from their patients.

Isn't it ironic? Patients worry about privacy because they're divulging all their medical information. Physicians also want privacy from their patients so that their patients aren't calling their cell phones or stalking them at home.

We live in a world where everyone wants privacy, even on Facebook. You can be on Facebook but you can stay off the search radar. That means that people can't find you even if they search for you on Facebook. For some doctors, that's simply not enough. They'd rather use an alias so they can stay connected with close friends and family. They want to see photos of family members. They want to write on someone's wall. But, they want maximum privacy.

So, as Facebook updates its privacy settings, more physicians may simply choose to use an alias so that they can stay off the grid. Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Enjoyed the #HCSM discussion on Twitter

Tonight, the #HCSM (Healthcare Communications and Social Media) conversation on Twitter revolved around the use of social media (SM) and search engine optimization (SEO). When I speak with physicians, I find that so many of them really don't understand SM or SEO. That's probably why many of them still continue to practice medicine without a professional website for their practice. What they fail to recognize is that more consumers are looking for health care providers on the Internet. Therefore, if you don't have a strong online presence, you may be losing potential patients to other providers in your area.

Here are my social media tips for physicians:

• Blogs can be used to attract new patients to your practice.
• Social media can be used to help you develop relationships with surrounding providers.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to your practice website.
• Patients are looking for providers on the Internet, so you must have a strong online presence.
• Many sophisticated patients are drawn to health care providers who are current on the use of digital social media.

Thinking about using social media? Start a blog, create a fan page on Facebook, and use Twitter.

Thanks for supporting 4 of my Facebook fan pages!

I want to thank my readers for supporting 4 of my Facebook fan pages:

http://www.facebook.com/NonClinicalJobs
http://www.facebook.com/MedicalSmartphones
http://www.facebook.com/MobileHealthComputing
http://www.facebook.com/MedicineandTechnology

I also maintain fan pages for a few other organizations, but I won't get into that right now. This is purely meant to thank those of you who have shown your support by becoming fans of my blog. Thank you!

Thanks to all those fans on Facebook!

As you may know, I've created several Facebook fan pages over the past week. Thanks to everyone for being a fan and for supporting my blogs. If you haven't checked out each fan page, make sure to take a look at the following Facebook fan pages:

• Medicine and Technology
• Non-Clinical Jobs
• Medical Smartphones
• Mobile Health Computing 

The other day, I created a fan page for a work-related website. I'm also currently working on a social media policy and strategy for the Alliance for CME, so I'm taking my social media experience and applying them in my workplace.