Navigating Your Health Narrative

WEGO Health is holding a free webinar tonight at 8 PM EDT titled, "Navigating Your Health Narrative."

They will offer tips and advice for better health blogging.

• How to get started blogging
• Crafting a unique writing voice
• Self-promotion DOs and DON’Ts
• Dealing with blogger burn-out
• And more - We’re looking forward to answering your questions about health blogging!

Register now, or click this link at 8PM EDT to log in to the webinar:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/775170080

You can also follow the conversation on Twitter (and ask our panelists some questions) by using the hashtag #wegowebinar or by using this TweetChat room: http://tweetchat.com/room/wegowebinar

Write for us! Join our team of contributors

If you like to write, join our team of medical writers. You can click here to see who's currently contributing to the MedicineandTechnology.com website.

By writing for us, you'll have the opportunity to raise your visibility on the Internet and expand your social network. You'll also have the chance to connect with key executives in the medical and health technology industry.

We are primarily looking for physicians, medical students, and others who have a background in health care to join the writing team for these websites:

1. http://www.MedicineandTechnology.com
2. http://www.MedicalSmartphones.com
3. http://www.MobileHealthComputing.com

Articles that you write are meant to be informal, editorial blog posts where you will have the opportunity to share your personal experiences and opinions about some of the current trends in medicine, mobile health, and health information technology.

2nd International mHealth Networking Conference

I'm scheduled to give a presentation at the 2nd International mHealth Networking Conference coming up in San Diego. I hope to see you there.

2nd International mHealth Networking Conference
September 8-9, 2010
Town & Country Resort Hotel
San Diego CA

The preliminary program originally had me listed on day 1, but now it has me listed on day 2 (Sept 9). My talk is titled, "Technology And Medicine: Mobile Applications and Clinical Outcomes." I'm excited to share several case examples where physicians and other health care professionals have used mobile technology to improve patient care. We continue to see many opportunities to leverage mobile technology such as smartphones and medical apps.

I'll be blogging while I'm in San Diego, so make sure to stay tuned on all my blogs, including:

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

If you're attending the 2nd International mHealth Networking Conference, I look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

My wife (a family physician) is starting a blog

Over the weekend, my wife and I took our kids to Boston and we had a great time. We also met up with some of our college friends who still live in the area. One friend in particular has been actively blogging as a food blogger and it was great to chat about the world of blogging. I also met some medical students who were avid bloggers.

On the drive back home, I convinced my wife that she should start a blog. We discussed some broad concepts and purchased a URL for $10. This means that she's committed! The blog is going to be based on her perspectives and stories as a physician and a mom. Unlike my blogs that target health care professionals, she's going to join the "mommy blogging" circuit and write for the consumer audience. Stay tuned. I think we're going to announce the "official launch" of the blog in early May after she gets some content on the site.

Medicine and Technology.com fan page on Facebook

Well, I finally got around to it! I created a Facebook fan page for my MedicineandTechnology.com blog and you can become a fan by clicking here.

I hope you'll also become a fan of my other blogs on Facebook:

• http://www.facebook.com/NonClinicalJobs
• http://www.facebook.com/MedicalSmartphones

(click here for the Facebook fan page for MobileHealthComputing.com)

Thanks for attending "Meet the Bloggers" today at #HIMSS10

I really enjoyed the "Meet the Bloggers" session today at HIMSS10. It was an honor to be on the panel along with:

Brian Ahier
Healthcare, Technology and Government 2.0
Twitter: @ahier

Keith Boone
Healthcare Standards
Twitter: @motorcycle_guy

Jane Sarasohn-Kahn
Health Populi
Twitter: @healthythinker

Dr. John Halamka
Life as a Healthcare CIO
Twitter: @John_Halamka

It was also great to meet other bloggers and health IT professionals using Twitter to increase awareness of recent health IT trends, opinions, and news. Thanks again Cesar Torres for organizing this event and inviting me to be a part of the panel discussion. I look forward to doing this again next year at HIMSS11!

Special thanks to HP for sponsoring me to attend and blog here at HIMSS10.

Join me today at Meet the Bloggers in Room C 201 (3:30 to 5 pm) #HIMSS10

Join me today at Meet the Bloggers in the Social Media Center in Room C 201. I will be there with several other bloggers and it should be a very interesting roundtable discussion about the world of blogging.

Here are the details:

Social Media Center
Room: C201

Tuesday, March 2
3:30 pm – 5 pm

http://www.himssconference.org/education/socialmedia.aspx 

While you're there, make sure to take a photo for the HIMSS Facebook fan page.

Don't forget to visit my other blogs

When I started blogging, I had a single blog. Last year, I decided to split my blogs into 4 distinct blogs so that I could keep the content separated. So, please make sure to visit my other sites and thanks for your support:

1. NonClinicalJobs.com


2. MedicineandTechnology.com

3. MedicalSmartphones.com


4. MobileHealthComputing.com

Make sure to visit the HIMSS Social Media Center

If you're attending HIMSS this year, make sure to visit the Social Media Center. If you swing by on Wednesday March 2nd between 3:30pm to 5pm, then make sure to say "hello" since I'll be participating in the "Meet the Bloggers" round table discussion.  Here's what that will be about:

These roundtable discussions connect attendees with industry bloggers and give them a behind-the-scenes look at the responsibilities and dedication required to develop and maintain a successful blog and following. Each discussion will have a different focus and will be moderated by Cesar Torres, Manager, Web Services, HIMSS.

Click here to learn more about the Social Media Center at HIMSS.

Meet me on Wed (March 2) at the Meet the Bloggers session at #HIMSS10

If you're attending HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) this year in Atlanta, Georgia, then make sure to swing by the Social Media Center on Tuesday March 2 and say hello from 3:30 pm to 5 pm. I'll be participating in the "Meet the Bloggers" session and I look forward to meeting some of you.

I was invited to participate last year in "Meet the Bloggers," but I couldn't make it out to Chicago.  Last year, the "Meet the Bloggers" was part of the HIMSS Tech Lab. Considering that the buzz word/phrase these days is "Social Media," I'm glad to see that HIMSS has properly named a section the Social Media Center. Here's some more information about that center:

The Social Media Center is the destination to explore and connect with HIMSS Groups on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Attendees will meet industry bloggers, make new health IT connections, and maximize their networking activities at HIMSS10 and beyond. Educational sessions range from basic social media use to more advanced topics in this emerging space. Attendees can stop by for one-on-one discussion and instruction when center sessions are not in progress. Also, be sure to have a photo taken in the center’s HIMSS Fan Page Photo Booth.

You can get more information about Meet the Bloggers here:
http://himssconference.org/education/socialmedia.aspx

Taking social media to the next level at #HIMSS10

Many of us have made contacts in the world of social media. We've seen photos of people on Twitter and Facebook. We've even connected on the phone. However, nothing replaces a face-to-face meeting and I'm looking forward to connecting with some people at HIMSS this year. Over the past 12 months, I've made many connections in the world of health IT and I'm eager to put a real face to these Twitter user names.

Make sure to join me at the Meet the Bloggers session on Tuesday, March 2 at 3:30 pm – 5 pm. I'll be on the panel and I look forward to seeing you at the Social Media Center at HIMSS10. Make sure to meet the other bloggers on Mon and Wed.

For more information about the Social Media Center and Meet the Bloggers at HIMSS10, click here.

Panelists Announced for Meet the Bloggers Sessions at HIMSS10

The Meet the Bloggers roundtable discussions connect attendees with industry bloggers and give them a behind-the-scenes look at the responsibilities and dedication required to develop and maintain a successful blog and following. Each discussion will have a different focus and will be moderated. Each of the three sessions will be held in the Social Media Center and will be open for all HIMSS10 attendees.

For more information visit the Social Media Center page at the HIMSS10 Web site. The panelists for each session are as follows:

Monday, March 1

Dr. Val Jones
Better Health
Twitter: @drval
Evan Steele
SSRoft Blog
John Moore
Chilmark Research
Twitter: @john_chilmark
Anthony Guerra
Health System CIO
Twitter: @Anthony_Guerra
John Lynn
EMR and HIPAA
Twitter: @techguy

Tuesday, March 2

Brian Ahier
Healthcare, Technology and Government 2.0
Twitter: @ahier
Dr. Joseph Kim
Dr. Joseph Kim’s Blog
Twitter: @drjosephkim
Jane Sarasohn-Kahn
Health Populi
Twitter: @healthythinker
John Halamka
Life as a Healthcare CIO
Twitter: @John_Halamka

Wednesday, March 3

Justin Wilcox
Nimbus Healthcare 
Twitter: @Justin_Wilcox
Michael Planchart
The EHR GuyTwitter: @TheEHRGuy
Ed Dodds
Commergence
John Sharp
eHealth
Twitter: @johnsharp
Ted Eytan, MD
TedEytan.com
Twitter: @tedeytan

Hoping to catch up on Twitter in the New Year

I admit that I've invested less time in Twitter over the past few months. Last fall, I was very busy. My wife and I had a new baby and life just got absolutely crazy! However, as I enter the New Year, I hope to re-invest time and energy into using Twitter to grow and develop social networks. I believe that Twitter can be used to improve health care communications among health care professionals and patients/consumers. Therefore, I want to play my role to enhance the communication of important health messages to all my followers.

Speaking of Twitter followers, when I began seriously using Twitter in early 2009, I had less than 20 followers. Now, I have many more people following my 4 blogs on Twitter. Thanks to all my followers for retweeting links (RT @DrJosephKim)  and supporting my sites! Wishing everyone "happy Twitter wishes" in the New Year!

The evolution of my blogs

Over the years, I've expanded by blogs and what began as a simple hobby has now turned into a part-time job for me. I began with a simple and free Google Blogspot URL and blogged about medicine, technology, gadgets, smartphones, PDAs, and non-clinical jobs and opportunities. As time went on and I realized that I should focus on specific areas, so I separated my blogs into 4 different sites:

www.NonClinicalJobs.com
www.MedicalSmartphones.com 
www.MedicineandTechnology.com 
www.MobileHealthComputing.com

Now, my time is split among these 4 blogs. I'm still passionate about medicine and technology, so I will continue to blog on these 4 sites in the New Year. I'm eager to see how my blogs will evolve in 2010.

Baby is 1 week old and life is good (picture)

Our baby is a week old and life has never been better. This baby is a sleeper! She just eats and sleeps. I've been told that I was like that when I was a baby. Eat and sleep, eat and sleep. Don't you wish that all babies were so easy? Our newborn is the easiest baby we've ever had!

So, although we're more sleep deprived that usual, we're not nearly as deprived as before. I'm still able to keep up with some blogging (albeit not as much as before) and my wife is enjoying her maternity leave. It's so great to have friends and family around to help with things around the house. Here's a picture of our baby being held by her older sister.

Twitter gets even more personal with TwitPic

If you Twitter, you know how this works. For the rest of you, let me explain: Twitter is a micro blogging platform. Now, I seem to see more people sharing their personal photos through Twitter. How? They use TwitPic. Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN) has been sharing personal photos to his Twitter feed (@sanjayguptacnn). I have't used TwitPic yet, but maybe I'll start sharing some of my personal photos

Do you Twitter? If not, then maybe you'll want to try in 2010.

FDA to regulate social media? Ask Sermo physicians.

Here's a letter I got from the founder or Sermo:

On November 12^th & 13^th the FDA will hold public hearings to assess the role of social media relative to the FDA's charter. Sermo has been asked to provide the FDA with insight on this question. This is an important opportunity for this community to help define what its role should be relative to the FDA and what role the FDA should play in this medium. Key issues that the FDA wants to address are:

1. For what online communications are manufacturers, packers, or distributors accountable?
2. How can manufacturers, packers, or distributors fulfill regulatory requirements (e.g., fair balance, disclosure of indication and risk information, postmarketing submission requirements) in their Internet and social media promotion, particularly when using tools that are associated with space limitations and tools that allow for real-time communications (e.g. microblogs, mobile technology)?
3. Questions specific to Internet adverse event reporting.

How many people at the FDA really understand social media? I still meet people on a regular basis who don't know about Twitter. What's Twitter? They hear the name on the radio or television, but they have no concept of microblogging.

Mark your calendars for November 12 and 13 and stay tuned...

Approaching 23,000 followers on Twitter

I admit that I've been less active on Twitter these past few months. Over the summer, I had a ton of energy and I was sending Tweets all the time. Now, my Tweets are primarily my blog posts. I run 4 different blogs, so I end up sending a handful of Tweets each day.

As I approach 23,000 followers on Twitter, I feel compelled to reflect back on my Twitter experience this year. Twitter has been a great resource and I think it's been a unique way to meet people online and share pertinent information with others who share similar interests.

It's hard to believe that we only have 2 months left in 2009. I wonder how many people will follow me on Twitter as we enter the new year. I hope that my blogs and my Tweets are providing a useful service to the health care community. Let's hope to see more health care professionals embrace social media in 2010.

Do you Twitter? Follow @DrJosephKim

Is Twitter losing steam?

I admit that I haven't had much time for Twitter these days. For me, the last few weeks have been overwhelmingly busy. Our family just moved into another house and we still have some boxes all over the place.

So, when I think about how busy I've been (moving, traveling for work, blogging, etc.), it's no wonder that Twitter falls to the bottom of the priority list (family always comes first). Although I use Twitter to broadcast my blog posts, I'd like to use it more for social networking like I've done in the past.

As I reflect on how I've used Twitter, I wonder if Twitter is losing steam. Do people eventually give up on Twitter? Is the excitement fading for people? Or, is the fall just a really busy time for most people? Is Twitter simply a fad that will die away by the middle of 2010? Or, will it continue to gain momentum as people recognize the value of this social media outlet for professional and personal broadcasting?

Is health contagious?

This is a guest post by Ethan Segal, MD. If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

There is an interesting article in the NYtimes magazine, "Is Happiness Catching?," Is Happiness Catching? - NYTimes.com. The article deals with the phenomenon of "social contagion, " that behaviors, like overeating or smoking can spread through friendship networks. Two social scientists, Christakis and Fowler, published a study in 2007, that analyzed the friendships in the thousands of study participants in the Framingham Heart Study, the landmark study on health and heart disease. They found that good behaviors-like quitting smoking or staying slender or being happy-pass from friend to friend almost as if they were contagious viruses. The same was true of bad behaviors-clusters of friends appeared to "infect" each other with obesity, unhappiness, and smoking. There was a lot of criticism of the study when it was published regarding confounding variables such as the influences of environment (a McDonald's opens in a neighboorhood that makes the social group fat), or that the results were due to "birds of a feather flock together."

While I don't think the notion that social reinforcement influences behavior is an earth-shattering hypothesis, but some of their specific findings were provoking. For instance, if an individual became fat, not just did it make it more likely that their best friend became fat, but that third and fourth degree friends also were likely to soon gain weight. Also, if an individual moved outside the area, the social network still had its effect, arguing against an environmental effect. That means if you gain weight, your friend of a friend who you dont really talk too that much might also gain weight because of you. The authors themselves talk about their findings raising personal responsibility, for instance, the author says after he saw the results it prompted him to lose five pounds and listen to happy music when he got home to his family. He might influence not only his family, but maybe a friend of a friend's family as well. Another interesting point was the effect of publishing your personal efforts to lose weight or quit smoking on your Facebook account. Public health could potentially benefit from using such social networks to influence health behaviors.

This guest post was written by Ethan Segal, MD. Ethan Segal earned a BA from Amherst College and a MD from Tufts University School of Medicine. He is currently working freelance as a medical writer and applying to residency programs for July 2010. He can be reached at Ethan.Segal(at)mac.com