Social Networks: Potential Impact on the Disease Management Industry
IDMA COMMENTARY
The Boom in Social Networks [Think…Blogs Get Organized] ‘More Than a Fad?’ – How Does the DM Community Respond?
[http://gigaom.com/2006/10/09/the-future-of-social-networks-communication/]
In the May 12, 2007 issue of the IDMA e-Report, the 1st COMMENTARY Section included a rather ‘random’ comment on my view of blogs and my concern that blogs may overwhelm good research…i.e., the "squeaky wheel syndrome". Upon further research it seems that “organized blogs”…called social networks have been making some remarkable progress in the healthcare arena. I retract all my comments about “blogs replacing research”...I think?
As indicated in last week’s COMMENTARY Section, we may now be seeing a new player in the DM world…the technology companies. Social networking may be one of the first “children of the technology revolution in communications for chronic disease management.”
Some history:
2004 – Social networks…Not so New!:
Based on a “post” in the Oct, 2004
issue of HEALTH CARE BLOG that comments on the “explosion” of healthcare
blogs, social networking is not as “new” as we may have envisioned [http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog
/2004/10/
technology_soci.html]
2005 - Five reasons social networking doesn't work
[http://www.
cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6240543-1.html]
2006 - Social Networking vs. NOTworking: A Cure for
the Me-Care Revolution?
[http://trusted.md/blog/mikeryan/2006/06/27/social_
networking_vs_
notworking_a_cure_for_the_me_care_revolution]
2007 - Social networking quickly taking global
hold: MySpace, Facebook and Friendster all show substantial worldwide
growth [http://trusted.md/blog/mikeryan/2006/06/27/
social_networking_
vs_notworking_a_cure_for_the_me_care_revolution].
Future - How will Yahoo address social networking? [http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=5824] - The due date for Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang’s strategic plan isn’t here yet, but that hasn’t stopped the handicapping. Bear Stearns analyst Robert Peck has a 22 page report addresses Yahoo’s options. Yahoo to lay out strategic plan in next 100 days
The Downside:
OBESITY SPREADS THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS - 2007-07-26 [http://www.exduco.net/news.php?id=2041] - A study of 12,067 people over a period of 32 years has found that social networks have a marked influence on weight gain. For example, if a person’s close friend becomes obese, that person’s chances of becoming obese increase 57 percent; for siblings, increase is 40 percent; and for spouses, increase is 37 percent.
COMMENTS & DISCUSSION - The IDMA “DMBLOG” is open for comments and discussion on how social networking impacts disease management at www.DMAliance.org/DmBlog
1 Comments:
The fact is call centers and coaching are not particiularly scalable. Social networks will become one of the most effective means to leverage the experiences, successes, and challenges of people attempting to make change, maintain and health condition, or support others. A shift is occuring that acknowledges that not only to professionals know how to help patients, but in many cases an individual going down the path will be more effectively helped by someone else who has already been down that path.
We will soon see the integration of coaching and social networks into a unified, more effective, and more cost effective solution to DM and health behavior change.
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