In 3 sentences or less: Bart Brandenburg is a Twitter doctor in the Netherlands who uses social media to provide medical advice, reassurance, and triage to patients. He has over 2400 followers and sends around 4500 tweets per year, providing a valuable service to 0.6% of active Dutch Twitter users. While social media use in healthcare is still in early stages, it shows promise for treating patients, teaching others, and allowing doctors to continuously learn.

1. Why I’m a Twitter Doctor
Meaning and Purpose of Social Media for Healthcare
Bart Brandenburg

3. Source: Simon Sinek http://www.startwithwhy.com/

4. ± 4500 tweets sent & received (estimate - some got lost)
2415 followers (May 14th 2012)
What do we do?
0,014 % of population of the Netherlands (16,7 million)
0,60 % of active Dutch Twitter accounts (est. 400.000)
Source: downloaded tweets from http://twitter.com/tweetspreekuur and http://twittermania.nl

5. Needs assesment?
Stakeholder analysis?
E-health readiness test?
Business plan?
How do we do it?

6. Unexpected connection

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucienengelen/4370288102

9. Brian Mc Gowan
“Meaningful use of
Social Media by Physicians”
Hardly any data
1. To treat
2. To teach
3. To learn

10. 25
20
15
10
5
Data
0

11. Why?

13. 217 respondents
We asked
Top 3 reasons for contact advice, reassurance and triage
89% trust us
Source: online survey @tweetspreekuur 2010 and 2011

14. Susannah Fox PEW Internet American Life Project
Beacons of change:
Expert patients
Commited doctors