Today the Wall Street Journal profiled Harvard Medical School’s Jeffrey Flier and his views on Twitter. It’s worth a read and it's brief. Most importantly, it can and should be shared with medical educators as an emerging standard. If you can overlook a degree of naiveté (you have no control over who your followers will be), the piece reflects the basic value ... Continue Reading about Twitter and the Dean of Harvard Medical School
The Public Progression of Physicians
When it comes to doctors and social media, the past few years have been occupied with how doctors can make the transition to public life. Our dialog has traditionally focused on digital immigrants - established physicians adjusting to life with new tools and a public voice. The discussion begins with the argument for why a physician should be there. But another ... Continue Reading about The Public Progression of Physicians
The Risk of Not Participating
At a social media healthcare conference last week, a physician speaking warned that when posting, think how it could affect your work. I'd turn the question on its head and ask if you don't post how will that affect your work. What’s the professional risk of not sharing your ideas? The original warning reflects our tendency to look at public dialogue only from ... Continue Reading about The Risk of Not Participating
Social Media Has Been Introduced to Physicians
There’s a national organization that I’ve done some work with. And for the past few years I have run social media sessions at their annual meeting. Social Media 101 and other programs with non-threatening names intended to draw in frightened doctors. This year I suggested that the days of the new thing have passed. At some point we must go beyond the ... Continue Reading about Social Media Has Been Introduced to Physicians
Is Social Media Over?
Or is it just part of the background? Cyber-swami Fred Wilson has suggested that ‘the social media phase’ of the internet is over. This is important because so many within my reach continue to proselytize on social tools as the next big thing. And despite the vast numbers of technologically frightened physicians who continue to play catch-up, none of this is new ... Continue Reading about Is Social Media Over?
Avoid the Social Shakedown
If you’ve worked hard to build the trust of your followers, don’t throw it away by pulling everyone into your petty consumer altercations. Do everything possible to avoid the social shakedown. I’ve seen it many times. Twitters microcelebrities with massive followings shaking down a major organization. It usually goes something like this: Visible social figure ... Continue Reading about Avoid the Social Shakedown