Amy Berman, right, with surgeon, author, and "Twitter rock star" Atul Gawande.I tweet therefore I am. That is quite an overstatement. But it’s true that my life has been greatly enriched by Twitter. I continually learn and grow through engagement with an incredibly robust network of people found in the Twittersphere.
I have blogged about Twitter on HealthAGEnda before. It is the fastest growing form of social media—launched just seven years ago—and now has more than 500 million users. Sharing 140-character “byte-sized” messages is just enough to make a point, share a link, and be engaged.
Twitter’s value is in the relationships it fosters, and the ease of finding and sharing information. It is a wellspring of dynamic communities with common interests.
I encourage you to explore content and communities outside your area of expertise. I have enjoyed learning about such topics as data visualization, massive online open courses (MOOC), and open access research, among others.
For those who are on Twitter (or considering it), I wanted to share a sampling of favorite “Tweeps” (Twitter people). These are folks that I consider well worth the “follow.” Of course I hope you will follow the John A. Hartford Foundation (@jhartfound) and me (@notesonnursing).
Here are some Top Tweeps for those folks interested in older adults and health care. I offer these in no particular order.
@Atul_Gawande — Atul Gawande is a surgeon, book author, writer for The New Yorker, and leading health services researcher based at Harvard. Is there anything Atul can’t do? I think not. He is a leading voice on health policy and care redesign. He often lobs in commentary about the Red Sox and what’s playing on his iPod. He is a rock star on Twitter and one of the most perceptive pundits on the planet (even if you aren’t a Red Sox fan).
@paula_span — Paula Span is a journalist with The New York Times who writes The New Old Age. I love the way she tells compelling stories backed up with data. We salute you, Paula!
@kevinmd — Kevin Pho is branded as “social media’s leading physician voice” and he’s got the Klout score to prove it. His blog includes contributions from other health professions such as nursing and pharmacy.
@JessieGruman @ReginaHolliday — Jessie Gruman and Regina Holliday raise the bar for us all. These remarkable advocates have taken their personal and difficult experiences with health care to call for changes that prevent needless harm and promote person-centered care. Regina Holliday founded the Walking Gallery to honor her husband, who died from a medical error. She combines art and story to inform health policy and practice. We are truly sisters from different mothers. Jessie Gruman, a cancer survivor and tireless activist, leads the Center for Advancing Health.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKyNrOVCuJo
@practicalwisdom @Colin_Hung — Together, Lisa Fields and Colin Hung are the incredible hosts of Twitter’s Health Care Leader chat on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. ET. I have been a guest and I love to participate. Topics include geriatric issues, but the focus is on leadership development to meet the challenges of health care. Use hashtag #HCLDR to join in the conversation.
@DianeEMeier @ewidera @geri_doc @CAPCpalliative @GeriPalBlog @Pallimed — OK. There are six Twitterati here. These folks/feeds represent the best voices in the country on palliative care, geriatrics, advanced illness, hospice, and end-of-life. Follow them all, please! And use the hashtag #HPM (hospice and palliative medicine) to get their attention when you tweet.
@WilliamDale_MD — William Dale is a White Sox fan. Seriously, William is also chief of Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine and directs the Hartford Center of Excellence in Geriatric Medicine at University of Chicago. He recently won the Hartford Foundation’s Heroes of Geriatric Care Story Contest. I have been a social media fan of William’s since long before the contest.
Amy Berman, left, with tech guru HealthcareWen Dombrowski at TEDMED 2013.@HealthcareWen — Wen Dombroski is a geriatrician and a leading expert on health information technology. She is one of my favorite tech gurus because she also understands complex care. What more can I say?
@ChinHansen @AmerGeriatrics— Jennie Chin Hansen is a nurse and CEO of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) http://www.americangeriatrics.org/ . Jennie and AGS inform what is good care. I have been one of Jennie’s ardent followers since long before we had social media. Add both to your must-follow list.
@TEDMED — TEDMED shares ideas worth spreading in health care. This past year, the TEDMED conference featured thought-provoking talks on complex care, how we conduct research with vulnerable populations, engaging communities to care for those with chronic disease, de-stigmatizing death conversations, putting people/patients at the center of their care, and many other topics of interest. The TEDMED feed gives links to some of the most exciting and interesting talks from diverse thought leaders. It is an energizing and enlightening community.
The list is certainly not exhaustive, nor is it intended to be. It’s merely a starting point. You can go to the Hartford Foundation and my personal Twitter feed to see all those I follow and those who follow us. I encourage you to explore.
And please share your favorite folks on Twitter by posting a comment below. Let’s all learn together!