In the two previous posts in this series of Twitter visualizations, we’ve looked at the growth of patient communities and the dynamics and centrality of one of them. This time we will take a deeper look at the people who make up these communities.
From looking at the visualization below (PDF version), one can think of them as virtual communities set in space like constellations of stars but with people orbiting one another. The laws of physics still apply, but gravity has become a function of conversations. Conversation is gravity. Boundaries are broken down. Traditional barriers like location, profession, demographics, physical abilities and conditions will not stop you from joining in. The world is flattening. And because many traditional hierarchies and perceptions are eroding as a consequence of healthcare social media, new types of communication and communities are emerging. Twitter is the new melting pot of ideas, people, and disruptive innovation.
Is it this melting pot of people, experience and knowledge that makes Twitter so attractive for patients that they are willing to trade some privacy in return for the benefit of joining in? In our series we’ve categorized these communities as patient-centric, but as many participants can testify, the members are made up of more than just patients. Our focus this time is the #BCSM community, Breast Cancer Social Media. Below we have pointed out some of the patients represented (not all are highlighted).
In our first post we created a visual from about 100 million tweets over almost 2 years, while in our second post the time span was one month. This time we are looking at a snap shot of only 1 hour. But this is not just any random hour, it’s the hour of the weekly scheduled #BCSM tweet chat. These tweet chats are the epitome of a melting pot – stakeholders from many different professions exchange and discuss ideas relating to a few pre-defined topics compressed into an hour time frame. The energy can be explosive. This visual is a network centrality analysis. The larger the node, the more central or influential a member is. Links between nodes signify a direct interaction or conversation between the two. In the following visual we point out some of the healthcare providers represented (not all are highlighted).
Twitter provides a convenient and powerful place for patients to meet other patients where they can both receive information but also give information from their own experience – it’s that human need created in us to share knowledge which has powered much of social media. However, from the visual above where we’ve highlighted nurses, physicians, a pharmacist, etc., we can see a larger view of the attraction Twitter has for patients.
Many patients on social media are very engaged, many are living with chronic conditions, cancers, or rare diseases, and many have more than just knowledge to impart to others – they want to change the way healthcare is delivered. Change can only come about in a public space, you’ve got to step out from the echo chambers of private forums. The open and public nature of Twitter provides a platform where people can find a cross section of all the relevant stakeholders in healthcare. A birthplace for disruptive ideas. The perfect place for engaged patients, engaged providers, and the supporting third parties.
71 Responses to “The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media”
Audun Utengen
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Sarah Fraser
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Symplur
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LeAnna J. Carey
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Bill Russell
MT @audvin: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media Visualized http://t.co/riYCuN8a <compelling
Bronnie Thompson
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Lisa D OT
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emeraldschell
MT @audvin: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media Visualized http://t.co/riYCuN8a <compelling
Howard Luks MD
Healthcare visualizations … Thanks to @symplur http://t.co/Gs2R0Wbx
Mike Thompson, MDPhD
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/LIANHnTy via @symplur
Ken
Healthcare visualizations … Thanks to @symplur http://t.co/Gs2R0Wbx
Kane & Finkel
RT @symplur: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/6C1GVVFx #hcsm #hcsmeu
Kane & Finkel
RT @symplur: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/6C1GVVFx #hcsm #hcsmeu
Michael Reoch
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/AARR41fR via @symplur
Matt Glass
Breaking Down Barriers in #Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/uiBRrF3S @ChloeS @AlbertSantalo
Audun Utengen
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media @jodyms @stales http://t.co/9V8hT5bq #bcsm #hcsmca
#BCSM Chat
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media @jodyms @stales http://t.co/9V8hT5bq #bcsm #hcsmca
Alicia C. Staley
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media @jodyms @stales http://t.co/9V8hT5bq #bcsm #hcsmca
Jody Schoger
Wow,thank you! @audvin The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in #hcsm @jodyms @stales http://t.co/1MJeGgST #bcsm #hcsmca
Audun Utengen
:) RT @jodyms: Wow,thank you! @audvin The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in #hcsm @jodyms @stales http://t.co/9V8hT5bq
Thomas M. Lee
Wow,thank you! @audvin The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in #hcsm @jodyms @stales http://t.co/1MJeGgST #bcsm #hcsmca
HealthCare Solutions
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Robert West PhD
Digital Medicine: The Flattening of Healthcare (Breaking Down Barriers in #HCSM) http://t.co/dNbdvlMx #pm101 #s4pm #P2PHC via @audvin
JOHN NOSTA
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JOHN NOSTA
RT @westr: Digital Medicine: The Flattening of Healthcare (Breaking Down Barriers in #HCSM) http://t.co/W4udhgKF #pm101 #s4pm #P2PHC via …
Blipcare
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Lilly Clinical OI
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media @jodyms @stales http://t.co/9V8hT5bq #bcsm #hcsmca
Kathleen Poulos
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Steve Zonner
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Mike Cadogan
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Luke
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Lynton Manuel
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Angel Azpeitia
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Domhnall Brannigan
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Therese Stutz
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/j2CVakJ3
Angel Azpeitia
Top story: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare So… http://t.co/eXw32bEi, see more http://t.co/1FitKXym
Albert Arnó
Top story: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare So… http://t.co/eXw32bEi, see more http://t.co/1FitKXym
Gerdi Van Kerckhoven
The open,public nature of Twitter provides a place where people can find a cross section of stakeholders in #healthcare http://t.co/emplZg4L
Intersurgical
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/rOTqGAer via @symplur
Ali R. Jalali
Top story: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare So… http://t.co/8ONLuZSc, see more http://t.co/2hKpHdwP
Brian S. McGowan PhD
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers w/ #HCSM http://t.co/Sn3TrBZq Great study of #BCSM to demonstrate power of #socialQI
Brian S. McGowan
Establishing a science to study new social graphs & impact on healthcare: http://t.co/zTAJvHq8 #socialQI #hcsmRnD
Jonathan Bloor
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers w/ #HCSM http://t.co/Sn3TrBZq Great study of #BCSM to demonstrate power of #socialQI
PhysicianDigital
Establishing a science to study new social graphs & impact on healthcare: http://t.co/zTAJvHq8 #socialQI #hcsmRnD
ICAN
Breast cancer social media, on the trial to bring patient and provider together http://t.co/nrkZUnQ8 #bcsm
cancerlikeme
Breast cancer social media, on the trial to bring patient and provider together http://t.co/nrkZUnQ8 #bcsm
Len Starnes
RT @BrianSMcGowan: The Flattening of Healthcare #HCSM http://t.co/n9LjiJfV Great study of #BCSM to demonstrate power of #socialQI #hcsmeu
Mike Thompson, MDPhD
Breast cancer social media, on the trial to bring patient and provider together http://t.co/nrkZUnQ8 #bcsm
Cathi Mon
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/lJ8kKnVV via @symplur
Linda Lia
The Flattening of #Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare #SocialMedia via @Symplur http://t.co/18tzcpNz
PracticeFusion CCN
The Flattening of #Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare #SocialMedia via @Symplur http://t.co/CrqeQJkN …
Jody Schoger
MT @BrianSMcGowan: The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers w/ #HCSM http://t.co/2e75spHx …power of #socialQI #bcsm
April Jolly
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/s8CKNpNz
Kristi Holmes
Great piece on how SM can impact patient care: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/fmq2DVb7 #hcmktg
Steph Hollingsworth
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/upysd0AK via @symplur
Dale Griffen
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down Barriers in Healthcare Social Media http://t.co/upysd0AK via @symplur
Jennifer A. Martin
RT @westr: Digital Medicine: The Flattening of Healthcare (Breaking Down Barriers in #HCSM) http://t.co/2mcGuqRK #pm101 #s4pm #P2PHC via @…
Alliance Health
Great visualizations of the people who make up patient communities via @symplur http://t.co/WeCf1cCw #epatient
Steven Tucker, MD
Love this! The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in #hcsm @jodyms @stales http://t.co/Z8IwYjrd via @undrip
Dr. Cary Presant
Love this! The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in #hcsm @jodyms @stales http://t.co/Z8IwYjrd via @undrip
Lionel REICHARDT
The Flattening of Healthcare: Breaking Down of Barriers in Healthcare Social Media – Twitter Visualized http://t.co/oQ4R0jpd via @symplur
Ann Becker-Schutte
Thank you for sharing this amazing visual of the changes in our healthcare system.
Colleen Young
I’d like to underline that merely having public conversations on social media does not ensure inclusivity. It requires strategic stewardship from key enablers. The founders of #bcsm @jodyms @stales @DrAttai have made a concerted effort to be all inclusive, inviting members from all sectors of the healthcare spectrum. Kudos and job well done!
Judy
Very interesting graphics. What did you use to identify the providers & patients?
Audun Utengen
Hi Judy,
Thank you. To identify providers and patients I used “human curation” :) Manual research.
However, we have a very powerful tool at Symplur to identify U.S. physicians since we have linked thousands of their Twitter Profiles to their NPI number (National Provider Identification) so that we can get a much more trustworthy and richer dataset. Great for segmentation of physician behavior comparing specialties, locations etc.
Audun
Lorri Zipperer
#DXerror chat today at 2pm ET to discuss role of social media as an opportunity to engage pateints and others in improving diagnostic error. Hope you folks can join!
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