More and more you hear about hospitals and organizations wanting doctors to blog.  Everybody wants content.

Sometimes the intent is to educate consumers, other times it serves the interests of a marketing campaign.

But good messaging is hard work.  Asking people to communicate in their free time disrespects both the messenger and the message they are trying to deliver.  And patient care is back-breaking work.  The production of creative content requires time, space and the creative capacity to think.

Patient care and content creation are consequently very, very difficult to juggle.

This is unfortunate because doctors and other providers have remarkable insight that could and should be shared.  I work with some 300 pediatricians in the north Houston area and I know that many have within them the most remarkable stories and knowledge that could be brought to life in video, audio or text.  I can imagine how the health infosphere would be different if they could stake their claim.

But for now, communication with the reading public just doesn’t pay.  If you want to volunteer, that’s great.  Otherwise, keep it to yourself and get back to work.  You’ve got three rooms waiting.

I can picture a time when those physicians with gifted voices are identified and given the opportunity to share and create within the context of their job descriptions.