TEDMED Great Challenges: Improving Medical Communication-Sound Bites for Twitter

Part one of a three part series on Healthin30

Part one of a three part series on Healthin30

The TEDMED Great Challenges Team in Medical Communication recently gathered together on Google Plus Live Hangout to talk about how to improve medical communication in the health care today.

Moderated by Emily Paulsen, the medical communication team is comprised of: Joseph Kvedar, MD, Robert Arnold, MD, Selma Caal, MD, John Cox, and Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA.

The YouTube video is below and you will also find snippets from the conversation which can be tweeted.

This post is a three part series.

Part one:  Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Part two:  John Cox and Selma Caal, MD.

Part three:  Joseph Kvedar, MD and Robert Arnold, MD.

Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA @BarbaraFicarra

 Sound bites from the conversation for Twitter

• It’s very important for patients to be engaged and empowered in their health By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Be prepared before doctor/clinician visits. Write down questions By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Bring questions to physicians/clinicians -they can help guide the patients By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• In the hospital patients are asking a lot of questions By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Communication skills needed to assist with the empowered patient By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Important to teach social media and verbal communication skills to… By @BarbaraFicarra Via@BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• … doctors and nurses in med schools and nursing schools By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Important for patients to be 100% clear/honest with clinicians to avoid any complications By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Give an accurate history, and be truthful By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Patients need to mention any supplements they take because can interfere with some medications.  By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
•  Empathy is a huge component in health care By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Engage with #empathy-communicate, collaborate and listen By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• When you encounter a physician/clinician with empathy your care is much better received By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
•   …and better outcomes. A partnership between clinician and patients is important… By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• …and if there isn’t a partnership find a clinician who fits your needs to work together to meet goals.  By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Empathy is missing and it’s needed By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Health literacy is important. Explain things in simple terms without medical jargon. By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• @GarySchwitzer offers information for health care journalists and consumers. By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• @GarySchwitzer Helps guide readers to teach what’s accurate and how to dive into a study. By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• @GarySchwitzer Helps put you on track By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• What to look for in a solid trustworthy piece of health information.  By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• It’s great that patients are so empowered to research and find information By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• and this is where clinicians come into play to  help guide patients By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Health care silos are separate By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Important to listen to the conversations happening in the social networking sites… By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• @ReginaHolliday a huge epatient advocate started Partnerships with Patients on FB By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• @epatientDave another great advocate. By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Health care system needs to tap into social media and listen to conversations By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Technology is moving at lightning speed—i.e. telemedicien/telepsychiatry. By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• In hospital patients/families r bringing laptops/tablets and Google  as u talk with them By @BarbaraFicarra #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• They’re saying, is this best practice? By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED
• Can you make sure that everything that is being done is best practice? By @BarbaraFicarra  #greatchallenges #hcsm @TEDMED

(I’ll be sharing more of my thoughts on this topic in future posts.)

Your turn

What Twitter sound bites do you have to improve medical communication in health care today?  Please share them in the comment section below.

As always, thank you for your very valuable time.