USA TODAY Features the Best in Online Medical Blogs

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

USA TODAY recently hosted Grand Rounds in the “Your Life” Section and featured the Best of the Medical Blogosphere.  Some of the medical bloggers include:  Howard Luks, MD, Jennifer Dyer, MD, Cynthia Bailey, MD, Fred Trotter, Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA (honored), Will Meek, PhD, and others (please read below).

Grand Rounds

Some of the best medical bloggers have hosted Grand Rounds, from KevinMD, 33charts, Dr. John La Puma, Dr. John M’s blog, to SixUntilMe, Science Roll,  and USA TODAY.  (These are only a few of the many outstanding hosts.)

Grand Rounds debuted September 28, 2004, and it was first hosted by founder, Nick Genes, MD, PhD on his site, Blogborygmi. “Grand Rounds was modeled after other blog carnivals that were popular at the time, as a way to highlight independent writing and the creativity of the hosts bloggers,” wrote Dr. Genes in an email to me.  As Grand Rounds grew, he joined forces with Dr. Val Jones and her Better Health network to help promote each edition and select hosts.

Grand Rounds is a weekly summary of the best health care writing online.  It features stories, opinions and analysis from doctors, nurses, patients, researchers and administrators, as well as journalists. Each Tuesday, a different blogger takes the helm, publishing a new edition of Grand Rounds on their site. Each edition features the host’s picks for the ten best healthcare links of the week.

USA TODAY Features Medical Bloggers

Recently, Your Life in USA TODAY hosted Grand Rounds, and Val Jones, MD, contributed to “Healthy Perspective Health and Wellness in the News – Grand Round Begins” showcasing her favorite medical bloggers and posts.  She organized the blogs into four categories:   Health Tips, True Stories, Myth Busters & Controversies and Healthcare Costs.

Part 1 – The medical bloggers for the Health Tip category include:

  1. The Happy Hospitalis10 Tips to survive your hospital stay
  2. Howard Luks, MDHow to avoid medical errors
  3. Kim McAllisterFour tips to make your ER visit run more smoothly
  4. Linda Burke-Galloway, MDFive questions every pregnant woman should ask
  5. “This nurse” Barbara FicarraTips to help you keep your heart healthy year round
  6. Mellanie True HillsDehydration may contribute to atrial-fibrillation
  7. Cynthia Bailey, MDTips for caring for dry skin
  8. Fred TrotterHow to connect with other patients online
  9. Jennifer Dyer, MD Pinterest can help plan healthy meals
  10. Paul S. Auerbach, MD, Healthline What to do if your dog gets bitten by a snake
  11. Centers for Disease ControlInternational travel during pregnancy
  12. Will Meek, PhD Mindfulness techniques
  13. Jenni ProkopyTips on winter weight loss
  14. Barbara Kivowitz Trusted friends can help with the worry during illness

Part 2, True Stories

Part 3, Myth Busters and controversies

Part 4, Healthcare costs

Grand Rounds hosting calendar and submission guidelines

Tuesday, February 21
Grand Rounds Vol. 8 No. 21 at Healthworkscollective (HWC)
Tuesday, February 28
Grand Rounds Vol. 8 No. 23 at Life with Huntington’s
Tuesday, March 6
Grand Rounds Vol. 8 No. 25 at Doctor Rob’s
Tuesday, March 13
Grand Rounds Vol. 8 No. 25 at Health in 30

Submit your blog for Grand Rounds.  Healthin30 is hosting Tuesday, March 13, 2012.

Grand Rounds Submission Guidelines

Submitting your blog post to Grand Rounds is as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. Go to the Grand Rounds calendar and locate the host blog for the upcoming edition.
  2. Click on the host’s link and read their instructions for submitting your post. Their instructions are usually listed in a recent blog post.
  3. Email the host prior to their deadline (usually Sunday night before the Tuesday Grand Rounds). Include the URL of your blog post, your blog name, and your blog’s URL in your email. Put “Grand Rounds Submission” in the title of your email.

Your turn

We would love to hear from you.  What are your favorite health blogs?  Who are your favorite medical bloggers?

As always, thank you for your valuable time.

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Thanks to Dr. Val Jones, Dr. Nick Genes,  USA TODAY and all the wonderful medical bloggers.

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