Module 5

Why would a patient want to create a blog?

I can think of aspects where patients may want to create a blog and that is chronic conditions where others may gain support and insight into someones personal posts regarding their illness. My personal physician created a blog because he was in liver failure. He had to take a leave of absence for a year and many of his patients wanted to know how he was doing. His office staff was so inundated with phone calls regarding his health that they could not focus on their regular jobs. He created the blog to up date his staff, patients, family, and friends of his health and the process of receiving a live donor liver transplant. It was very cool to follow and the ease of logging on at anytime to check on him was awesome. Him or his wife updated frequently and it really great to see him become healthy again. While he was on leave his office hired an awesome NP to cover for him and he was able to introduce her. The comments for her care were phenomenal on his blog and he posted several times how happy he was that his patients were receiving great care. Now she sees her own patients and all of his sick patients because he is immnocompromised and it works out.

Why would a health care provider create a blog?

I think a health care provider blog would be awesome to create. For me, I would have updates in care or simple things like getting immunizations done prior to the big rush for the school year. Or another thing would be what sort of illness has been diagnosed in the clinic. I can think of an instance where this would have been useful. Two summers ago when Crypto broke out in the swimming pools and all of the kids were getting sick and admitted for dehydration, I think it would have been helpful for parents to look at their healthcare providers blog and go, "wow, we went swimming, the kids have been sick they may have Crypto". Also, a link to the health department would be nice to see what actions to protect your children and what should be done from a parents aspect when treating kids. I think it would enable practitioners to access some pretty awesome literature and get it to parents in a free format that is easily accessible. Public libraries have free internet access, so if parents don't have a computer or internet at home it is a way to communicate or read information from the provider.

What are ethical considerations when blogging on a public website?

Obviously, you would never post patients personal information or anything that could link a patient for specific treatment. I think posting general information about healthcare and only specific information like there has been a lot of strep infections seen in the clinic recently. You would never name anyone or give details to violate HIPPA. I think updates would be helpful to remind parents to get their children immunized or remind them about bike helmet safety, water safety, etc. The other thing I think you have to be careful about is giving medical advice when you haven't actually seen the patient. As a provider I would make sure parents understood that this is a general website for their information and medical advice would not be given out by any provider. If they seek medical advice they need to be seen in the clinic.
I ultimately see blogging as an asset and am eager to see if other providers use this in their practice and the information they provide to their public.