The Connected Patient: Information as Currency in Online Communities

Today’s patients are more aware and engaged than ever with their own health. And it goes beyond just looking up symptoms on WebMD. This new “connected patient” is increasingly turning to listservs, Facebook groups, Twitter chats, and other communities to find support, end isolation and meet an information void not being filled by static hospital websites. In his article, The Connected Patient: Information as Currency in Online Communities, Jennings Principal Dan Dunlop explores why hospitals have been slow to develop online patient support communities, which include costs and privacy concerns, as well the power and promise that online communities hold for patients and provider organizations.