The importance of using Social Media in Rural Medicine R. Gomez Bravo, C. Lygidakis, S. Begg, E. McPhee, M. Sattler, R. Zoitanu, S. Rigon, N. Harris, S. Cherry, S. Maroto. Objective: To analyse the importance, impact and use of Social Media among rural professionals worldwide. Methods: The confluence of social media (SM) and medicine has many benefits, but isolated and rural Family Physicians are still not taking advantage of the opportunity to create this virtual network and to reach their patients and colleagues on the online community that has formed around SM websites to take medical interests forward. We will offer a basic workshop on SM tools through real examples developed by rural doctors, who are reducing isolation and making rural areas more attractive thanks to it. We will also discuss about the 3 social media obstacles that they face normally underlying the opportunities that each one present: risk, education and time, trying to find out the benefits outweigh the costs. Results: SM and technology are providing a new way of Communication between professionals and patients, P2P. How to use it and how to design these strategies to improve communication, health outcomes, health quality and equity is possible but we are dealing with a lack of knowledge in our professional network on how to use these tools for communication, for developing skills, participation and engagement, what are the legal regulations, opportunities and benefits of using them. Conclusions: SM has a huge potential in Primary Care and EURIPA-VdGM in collaboration with other Young Movements and rural SoMe experts will show how can be used by GPs to strengthen organizations, their practice or how to use it as a tool for patients.

1. R. Gomez Bravo, C. Lygidakis, S. Begg, E.
McPhee, M. Sattler, R. Zoitanu, S. Rigon, N.
Harris, S. Cherry, S. Maroto

2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/post/about-those-2005-and-2013-photos-of-
the-crowds-in-st-peters-square/2013/03/14/aaf1067a-8cf9-11e2-9f54-f3fdd70acad2_blog.html
A picture is worth a thousand words..

3. Should..?

4. We are engage!

5. EPHA Social Media
Training 5.3.2013,
Brussels by Jon Worth
WONCA Prague, 26.6.2013
Martin Sattler

6. What is EPHA?
• EUROPEAN PUBLIC HEALTH
ASSOCIATION BASED IN BRUSSELS
• ADVOCACY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN
THE EU POLITICS
• INFORMING EU POLICY MAKERS AND
CONNECTING PUBLIC HEALTH
ORGANISATIONS
• PROBLEM 1: EU IS ASKING FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH BUT ARE MEANING PRIMARY
CARE
• PROBLEM 2: IN EPHA STRATEGY UNTIL
2014 PRIMARY CARE IS NOT INCLUDED.
WHERE ARE WE IN THE EU?

7. Social Media training
by Jon Worth for
EPHA
• Jon Worth is an freelance "IT
freak" who is dealing very well
with SM
• He worked for the EU
Institutions and is therefor a
"insider" of the politic world of
Brussels
• He is combining Social Media
Competence with inside EU
policy...
• ...a very useful cocktail and we
can and should use it also for
GP interests

8. Introduction for EU
personal to facebook,
Twitter & Co.
• Facebook Nr. 1 in users BUT...
• ...TWITTER with more direct and
powerful impact on EU policy
makers
• Short Story of EU, Brussels:
• Passport control in EU violenting
Schengen treaty
• Contacting Mrs Mahlström via
TWITTER with immediate effect.

9. CONCLUSION
• SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE A
VERY POWERFUL TOOL
• WE CAN USE IT FOR OUR
INTEREST TO PROMOTE GP
WORK AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF PRIMARY CARE
• One voice for GPs
• Let´s go for it...

10. • Facebook Group
• Facebook Fan
page

11. Depends on your audience!
http://www.movements.org/how-to/entry/how-to-decide-to-create-a-facebook-page-or-
facebook-group/

12. Socio-Demographic
Profile

13. Impact

15. #wonca2013

22. @vdgmeu
@EURIPA_EURI
PA