Can Mobile Devices Help Connect the Dots for Better Health Care?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Educating patients through texting Mobile technology may help to transform the lives of patients and provide a stronger partnership with health care providers. I received a text message from my mobile service provider regarding a quick survey as a follow-up to a phone conversation I had with one of their representatives. The first text thanked me for calling the customer care center and said, “We’ll text you shortly for…

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Telehealth, Mobile and Gaming: Transforming the Health Care Landscape

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Cutting-edge technology is transforming the health care landscape.  Gaming, mobile and telehealth allow consumers to become engaged in their health care. A few technology articles from around the web are worth reading. From TechCrunch, to FierceHealthIT, to Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers addressing “Games for Health” to Healthin30 which includes a four part series on gaming;  “How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care?” FierceHealthIT (FierceMobile Health Care)…

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Social Media: Pharma Industry Considers Patient Engagement a Must

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA The Pharmaceutical industry feels patient engagement is a priority, but lacks presence in the social media world.  There’s a better way for Pharma to get their message heard, and it requires going beyond the medications and stepping outside the silo. I’m not in Pharma, and I’m not a marketer, but I find it incredibly frustrating that Pharma lags behind in the social media world.  I had the opportunity to…

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Power of Social Media: Sharecare, Twitter and You

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA One word to describe social media is engagement.  Social media allows relationships to develop and it fosters connection among the community.  A two-way conversation emerges and collaboration surfaces. Twitter, one platform in the social media arena, allows real-time communication to occur in 140 characters or less. Sharecare’s recent Twitter chat engaged the community with information to help them learn about the importance of sleep.  Sharecare’s sleep experts gathered online…

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Social Media: Are you engaged or do you ignore it?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Can health care providers afford to ignore social media? Social Media Networking isn’t going to go away… …and trying to ignore won’t work… Social media is a powerful and phenomenal platform to disseminate valuable and trusted health information.  Are you engaged in social media networking or are you ignoring it? Social media allows health care silos the opportunity to engage with each other.  Health care conversations between the silos…

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