Twitter during COVID-19 is filled with commentary and conversations about coronavirus. There’s some really good information. And it's been clearly established that we're facing a serious situation. Beyond that there’s lots of noise — nervous chatter about things that we can’t control and stuff our tweets will never change. In our efforts to help (especially us ... Continue Reading about Twitter During COVID-19 – 4 Tips for Less Noise
COVID-19 Infodemic and the Question of Expertise
Welcome to the COVID-19 infodemic. I opened Twitter last week to a guy with a 'biology degree' hosting an 'ask me anything' session on COVID-19. I stumbled on another thread where an economist using cockamamie statistical magic had conjured up stats on projected mortality. The thread was followed by gasping responses and replies. Based on misinformation, ... Continue Reading about COVID-19 Infodemic and the Question of Expertise
WHO Joins TikTok – Thinking Coronavirus and Communication
To fight misinformation around the coronavirus pandemic, the WHO (World Health Organization) recently joined TikTok. Crazy? Maybe not. When the public health arm of the United Nations joins the trendiest new social network you know something serious is going on. https://youtu.be/7Hvs_S9uMGY So what can we learn when the WHO joins TikTok? We can draw a couple ... Continue Reading about WHO Joins TikTok – Thinking Coronavirus and Communication
Communication and the Law of Constraint
The smaller the space you have to communicate the more the preparation you need. I think of this as the law of constraint. When I have lots of space I’m a little lazy and loose with what I deliver. Smaller spaces, however, require real thought. Think about it: 140 characters on Twitter took more thinking than 280. Prepping an 18 minute TED talk is ... Continue Reading about Communication and the Law of Constraint
Nobody Cares About TikTok – But Everybody Loves Connection
Nobody cares about TikTok. Just like no one cares about electricity. But we all care about is what electricity allows us to do. And people love how TikTok allows them to connect and creatively appear to the world. For health professionals this is one more piece in their communication wardrobe (if you wear this kind of thing). So our interest in ... Continue Reading about Nobody Cares About TikTok – But Everybody Loves Connection
Robert Califf and the Rise of Medicine’s Peanut Gallery
This Journal of the American College of Cardiology Case Reports editorial, A Perspective on the K-Index, by Dr. Robert Califf has drawn a lot of dialog. Through a critical discussion of the K-Index he questions the value of social commentary on research by non-research physicians. Central to Califf’s thinking is the idea that those not in traditional medical ... Continue Reading about Robert Califf and the Rise of Medicine’s Peanut Gallery