“The burgeoning social media scene has clearly captured the attention of physicians. It began with blogs a decade ago but has grown exponentially in recent years with the advent of Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter. Doctors are not only blogging about their views on health care or political issues; they’re also creating Facebook pages and jumping into the fray of Twitter. Veteran physician blogger and internist Kevin Pho, MD, who pens the popular KevinMD blog, describes Twitter as “instant messaging to the masses.”
“Social media has really spread in the last two years, and we’re now seeing not just doctors but also hospitals and health systems using social media to communicate with colleagues and patients,” observed Dr. Pho, who practices in Nashua, New Hampshire. His popular blog and sometimes contrarian views have catapulted him into the national limelight and spawned a number of other media opportunities, including a monthly column in USA Today.”
Article
Bonnie Darves, NEJM, March 2010
