If it’s okay with everyone I’d like to declare the dog and pony show surrounding Twitter in the operating room as officially dead.

Or perhaps Twitter in the operating room was never really alive to begin with.

(And I’m not sure what’s more annoying:  the predictable press angles or the fact everyone within 6 degrees of separation sends me the link)

A couple of thoughts on why I’m not riding the bandwagon:

Twitter in the operating room is a hammer looking for a nail. We’ve got a new tool … let’s find where it can fit.  And to get buy in lets connect it with the universal goal of ‘improving communication.’  After all, who doesn’t want to improve communication and break down barriers?

It’s fun and games ‘til someone gets hurt. Twitter in the OR is the rage when everthing’s rainbows and unicorns.  But if we’re champions of keeping families informed, we should be champions of keeping them informed of complications.  Twitter isn’t the appropriate medium for telling a family that the surgeon is dealing with a nasty, unexpected bleed.  And to withhold that information given the expectation of open, real-time updates is potentially suspect.

Novelty use of social apps diminishes their value. Hospitals are having a hard enough time getting buy-in for appropriate social initiatives.  Theatrical use only dilutes interest in where it might potentially do real good.

But experimentation is how we learn.  Of course we should experiment with new communication channels.  That’s how we push the envelope.  But do it internally at first.  Notification of the media is appropriate when its use has been established in your hospital as something with consistent value for patients and their families.  Until then, these stories shouldn’t see the light of day.

Social’s shiny veneer is a real draw for the hospital that seeks attention.  I’m just not sure that OR live tweeting is the proper way to get noticed.

But of course, I’ve been wrong before.

icon via Ahmad Hania