The Social Revolution has begun

The revolution has begun.

It actually started a few years ago with the formation of the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media. I remember the conversations I had with my friend, Lee Aase, at the time. His vision was exciting: creating an organization comprised of patients, doctors, hospitals and healthcare providers all focused on developing best practices in the use and application of social media in healthcare. When he asked me to be an external advisory board member, I eagerly jumped at the chance.

You see, the concept of using social media in health care is one that I’ve always believed in. Since my very first Friendster account (yes, I’m dating myself) to now, I realize the power of using these tools to gather communities of interest to collaborate, educate, and improve the way we deliver care is natural.

So natural, that I actually wrote a blog post about one – one that is actually printed in the new Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media Book “Bringing the Social Media #Revolution to Health Care”

I actually wrote a chapter in that book: Social Media Makes Sense. And I am proud to be in the same company as other thought-leaders and visionaries, such as Meredith Gould, Ed Bennett, Reed Smith and countless others.

Looking back over the last few years and the various conferences, webinars, conversations, impromptu ukulele concerts and friends that I’ve made, it’s confirmed. Using social media in healthcare makes, but sometimes it takes a disciplined organization with a vision to actually make it a reality. A revolution, if you will.

I think it’s time for all of us in the health industry – patients, doctors, nurses, clinical staff, CEOs, CMOs, marketing and communications professionals – all of us to join in.

Go get the book – you can learn more about it and order it here: http://socialmedia.mayoclinic.org/learning/book/ Then tell me what you think.