Infographic: Is Your Medical Record Safe?

Source: HIT Consultant A single patient’s medical record is worth $50 on the black market, according to data reported at the Digital Health Conference in New York City.  Leading industry experts expect the frequency, severity, and impact of data breaches to escalate with global networks and use of advanced sinister technologies, threatening consumers’ information. Simply put, stolen patient records is[…]

Why Online Patient Communities are Better than Real Life Support Groups

Source: David Lee Scher, MD A support group  has many potential benefits, some of which include improving coping skills, reducing anxiety, depression, isolation, ignorance about the condition and others.  Online patient communities (OPCs) are a recent phenomenon.  Some are open (with respect to type of member or fee) and some are more focused and closed.  Irrespective of[…]

Synergistic Impacts of Healthcare and Social Media: An Observational Study

Source: David Lee Scher, MD There have been many articles written on the impact of social media on healthcare. Likewise, healthcare is transforming social media into a ‘place’ to obtain information on specific diseases, creating patient and provider support in online communities like PatientsLikeMe and Treatment Diaries, and improving communication among providers and between providers[…]