I've been in the ‘burbs for 8 years now, and besides a few visits to the college health center for pinkeye and a bout of bronchitis, along with two visits to a regular primary care physician for bursitis, I've avoided the cool comfort and aged Time magazines of doctors' waiting rooms. I dislike the waiting, can't find a doctor I adore and frankly, get all around nervous when it comes to doctor visits. Even calling to make an appointment gives me the heebies.

Then, a week and a half ago, I started getting these pounding earaches. A lot of my job involves interviewing folks over the phone or listening to transcriptions of said interviews. An earache seriously cramps my style.

The other night, when trying to recount symptoms related to the earache to my boyfriend, I listed off a few: earache (obviously), nausea, lower teeth pain, muscle aches, fatigue. I asked him if there was anything he'd noticed since the earache surfaced. "Well, you have been irritable lately," he noted.

Telling me my butt looks big in a dress would've been less of a blow to the psyche. It was time to make an appointment. Last time I tried to get a few minutes with my primary care provider (PCP) about an annoying rash, his staff basically told me to buzz off. He'd see me in 3 weeks or so, no sooner. Frustrated, I slathered on calamine and oatmeal lotion, changed laundry detergent and cut my fingernails so I wouldn't scratch. My rash disappeared before the 3 weeks it would've taken to get an appointment.

My choices with the earache were to either find a new PCP, try my luck with the old one or look into a pretty new option, a drug store retail clinic. I reasoned that for $62, I could get my ear infection diagnosed, walk in without an appointment and not have to confront my phone call with the doctor phobia.

I chose the last option. Yesterday afternoon, I took my aching ears (and the rest of me) to my local MinuteClinic, less than a mile from work. Nervous as usual when it came to doctors, I used the computer kiosk to sign in, and a friendly nurse practitioner (NP) sat patiently by. She put me at ease at once, smiling and telling me that I'd be taken care of.

MinuteClinic uses a proprietary EHR system and is Joint Commission accredited.

I took my seat in the tiny office and the NP clicked away at the EHR, asking the usual questions about my earache and symptoms. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the clinic takes my insurance, meaning the $62 would be chopped down to just my $40 specialist co-pay. After a brief examination (I have high blood pressure, a slight fever and ears that are "sucked in," not to mention a middle ear infection in both ears, turns out), the practitioner sent over two orders to the pharmacy using the EHR's e-prescriber.

The benefits to this type of care are numerous, particularly to a doctor-phobe like me. Clinics like this may help the burden on PCPs and stunt the use of emergency rooms for routine problems, like my otitis media squared. MinuteClinic touts the use of its EHR as a quality control device and one that lends to the efficiency of the clinics.

I eyed the EHR system and watched many prompts pop up on the screen. At one point, my friendly NP sighed as she clicked, saying, "Ah, we have a new EMR, I'm sorry."

At the kiosk where I signed in, I opted to receive a copy of my medical record from the visit via e-mail, and at the end of my visit, the NP gave me a paper copy, as well. I could've also chosen to send a copy to my PCP.

The record listed my penicillin allergy, noted the pain I was having and listed follow-up recommendations. Checking over the record after my visit, and noticed two teeny mistakes. My weight was entered as 98,102 pounds (yes, my butt does look big in that dress). Also, my temperature was recorded as normal, at 98.6 degrees, when it was really a little higher than that. I was so happy to be getting antibiotics and ear drops for the pain that I let the mistakes slide and traipsed over to pick up my prescriptions. I've never seen a copy of my records right after a visit, and it kind of made me wonder what mistakes existed in past records that I didn't have a chance to correct.

While there are definite advantages to this type of clinic, I don't think many people know about them yet, but more retail clinics are on the way. Wal-Mart plans to open more of its own in-store clinics powered by an EHR, and our local Walgreen's also boasts a retail clinic.

When it comes to HIM at retail clinics, it's completely dependent on the EHR, as the clinics are a one-man (or woman) show, not counting those behind the scenes, with the NPs administering care and taking care of the records. No MTs transcribe an account of the visit, no coders seek out the right codes and, as patients pay right then and there, no biller works out the logistics. With baby boomers aging, health care in the spotlight of the government and EHRs cropping up across the country, I don't think HIM professionals have anything to worry about when it comes to retail clinics sloughing off HIM jobs.

Overall, my first ever retail clinic experience was a good one. I take my antibiotic (which smells like Easter candy, strangely) twice a day, put in ear drops as needed for the pain and hopefully, I'll be feeling much better by the weekend, all for the bargain price of $40 plus my prescription co-pay, which I took out of my health savings account.

Have you visited a retail clinic? What's your take? Do you think these clinics will have any major implications for HIM?

For the past few weeks, I've had Michael Jackson's "Somebody's Watching Me" stuck in my head. I blame Geico for making it the theme song for its ubiquitous ad campaign. (Seriously, that bug-eyed bundle of money is everywhere.)

But today, the ditty popped into my head for good reason.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston is launching a study that will let 25,000-35,000 patients read their doctor's notes online, the Globe reported. No elaborate request for information process. No copying or printing fees. Just log on and check ‘em out.

The "open notes" project will involve about 100 doctors from BIDMC and two other facilities. They agreed to put their most candid (and often harsh) observations on the line in hopes of better patient education and communication.

Doctors admit the move's a bit risky, the article noted. Patients may misinterpret notes or take offense to blunt comments. Physicians looking to avoid backlash or panic may water down their notes, which wouldn't do much for improving patient care.

On the other hand, unfettered access could be a stopgap for errors and a big step toward better patient-provider relations. One patient said open notes would mean another set of eyes scanning for mistakes. BIDMC knows the value of accuracy; the facility got knocked with a wave of PR after ePatientDave, social networking extraordinaire, found errors in his personal health record that were caused when the system populated the record with BIDMC's billing data instead of diagnoses. And if our Say What? column is any indication, doctors aren't always on the ball when it comes to documentation.

I have to admit-I don't envy the physicians signing up for this study. In fact, I give them kudos for their confidence, bravery or whatever it is giving them the gusto to (hopefully) tell it like it is and let patients know. HIM professionals no doubt understand the pressures of being under the microscope, especially with software today that tracks where you go, what you do and how long it takes. But to have the actual patient checking that you crossed your t's and dotted your i's could be a serious pressure-cooker.

Ah, Mr. Jackson, your concerns about privacy are all too fitting in health care. But this time, it's the provider, not the patient, being exposed.

Based on the findings, we can conclude the following: You're busy folks! Forty-five percent responded that while they'd like to nap, they don't have time. But, you love your job, and 34% of you responded saying what you like best about your job is that you truly enjoy the work you do.

The majority of HIM professionals who checked the survey boxes landed in the field either by chance (38%) or by choice, as 28% said they liked HIM because it didn't involve that "ick factor" of hands-on patient care, but still involved a career in health care.

When it comes to a perfect night, 36% of you would spend it out at a romantic dinner, followed up with a feel-good flick. Others would prefer time at home, and nearly a quarter said a perfect night would be spent with their children, while another 23% said that an ideal evening would be spent catching up with the DVR.

HIM professionals who answered also showed their green streak, and we're not talking about envy. Nearly one in five celebrate Earth Day in some form, and a whopping 59% report that they recycle voluntarily.

When it comes to social networking, though, HIM professionals seem to prefer to stay away. Fifty-six percent noted that they don't use any social networking tools, like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, while those who do mainly use the tools to stay in touch with friends, connect with long-lost friends, for work and networking and to keep up with family.

The top three places HIM professionals daydream of visiting are Hawaii, Italy and Australia, in that order. In other results, nearly half of you still own and use your VCRs, while the mode of transportation preferred by HIM professionals by far is the automobile (61%), although 21% like to travel by train.

Breakdown of the results (note that all may not add up to 100% due to rounding):

Do you still own and use a VCR?

28% It's collecting dust at the bottom of a closet.

48% I fire up my VHS collection often.

24% I've moved on to a DVR.

0% Never heard of it.

What do you like best about your job?

8% Great coworkers.

34% I truly enjoy the work I do.

26% The challenges it presents each day.

20% Learning new things.

6% Being part of the health care documentation process.

5% Going home at the end of the day.

A perfect night would consist of:

36% A romantic dinner and a feel-good movie.

23% A peaceful night at home with my DVR.

10% A raucous night out with friends and/or family.

8% Finishing up all the work I have to catch up on.

24% Spending time with my children.

Do you do anything special for Earth Day?

19% Yes.

77% No.

3% What's an Earth Day?

What's your favorite mode of transportation?

21% Train

7% Plane

61% Automobile

4% Bicycle

7% The Old Shoe Leather Express

If you use social networking tools like Facebook and LinkedIn, why do you use them?

9% To connect with long-lost friends.

15% To stay in touch with my group of friends.

8% To keep in touch with my family.

9% For work and networking.

3% Because I'm nosy!

56% I don't use social networking tools.

If you could visit any of these places, which would you pick?

24% Italy

3% Brazil

28% Hawaii

4% Japan

12% England

7% Australia

7% I'm happy at home.

What's your nap policy?

24% I'm a power napper.

45% I wish I could nap, but I don't have time.

21% I like long naps.

10% Napping is for babies.

What made you become an HIM professional?

38%I fell into the program at college or stumbled into on-the-job training.

28% I didn't want to deal with the ick factor of hands-on patient care but wanted to be in health care.

11% A friend inspired me to get involved.

18% I've always had an interest in HIM and knew this was the right choice.

5% I'm wondering that too, lately.

Do you participate in a recycling program at home?

13% Yes, my community requires it.

59% Yes, I recycle voluntarily.

28% No.

During an online "Town Call" yesterday, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) revealed its new strategy for certifying EHRs that meet "meaningful use" requirements under the stimulus act. Speaking to open source developers and vendors (though about half the audience admitted to being outside the open source community), Mark Leavitt, MD, PhD, chairman of CCHIT, outlined changes that will make it easier for open source vendors to earn certification--and for providers to cash in on incentives.

The Webcast couldn't have come at a better time for me. I just wrapped my print and Web articles on open source software, and I was curious to see what would come of certification issues. While researching open source technology, I repeatedly came across blogs and forums lamenting CCHIT's narrow focus on big name vendors. The certification process, they said, stifles innovation.

But lo and behold, just a few days before my article went to press, a press release announcing the Town Call snaked its way through spam filters and plopped into my inbox. Would these new "certification paths" be any better?

Here's the gist: instead of one path to certification, CCHIT plans to offer three forms of approval. EHR-C (for comprehensive) will be like the current certification process, a comprehensive review of features and functions that gives providers "maximal assurance" a vendor's EHR will work, according to Dr. Leavitt. EHR-M (for module) will certify vendor products using "meaningful use" definitions as a checklist. An e-prescribing module, for example, meets this, this and this, but doesn't meet that or that. EHR-S (for site) lets individual providers get certified for homegrown EHR systems. Basically, CCHIT is checking the system - which is already in use by the provider - actually does what it should.

Each path has its perks and setbacks. EHR-C pretty much guarantees (in theory) the EHR system will go above and beyond federal standards, but it also carries the whopping $30,000-$50,000 price tag vendors are used to seeing. EHR-M lets products that don't necessarily meet all requirements get approved for the ones they do. It can mean smaller dent in the wallet, too, ranging from $5,000-$35,000. EHR-S is site-specific, so the product can't claim certification if another provider wants to deploy it, but certification can be had for the bargain price of $150-$300.

The real boon for open sourcers (or should it be "sorcerers"?), though, is the end to "version lockdown." In other words, once a product gets certified, it doesn't have to get recertified with each new development. The theory, Dr. Leavitt said, is that any elements needed to earn certification won't be removed in upgraded versions.

I haven't heard an official response from the open source community, but if anything, I'd say the new paths are an improvement. Open source developers may still struggle to pay for EHR-C certification, but at least they can certify a few modules at a cheaper price. Worst comes to worst, individual open source users can get EHR-S certified. Then again, saying "Hey, all these hospitals that got EHR-S certified? They're using our product!" isn't quite the same as boasting an EHR-C seal of approval.

The $19 billion question has been answered--sort of. Earlier today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced its preliminary definition of "meaningful use," a requirement providers must meet to earn EHR incentive payments.

Released by the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, the recommendations include a progression of goals, objectives and measures for 2011, 2013 and 2015. Criteria have been laid out in a grid according to specific policy outcome, such as reducing health disparities and engaging patients.  

The preliminary definitions are the result of discussions by the Policy committee's Meaningful Use Workgroup and contributions from a hearing conducted in April by the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics.

"The workgroup's recommendations demonstrate the breadth of meaningful use and the linkage of use to individual care and population health outcomes," said David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, national coordinator for HIT. "The Office of the National Coordinator and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recognize that achieving meaningful use will not be easy, but it is a journey we must take if we are to improve care through the use of EHRs."

The recommendations are now open to public comment. Visit healthit.hhs.gov to view the definitions and offer feedback.

Rhonda Wong-Fernandez was sent immediately to jail and will spend the next 12 months there. Wong-Fernandez, whom the Star-Bulletin referred to as a patient service representative at Straub Clinic and Hospital in Honolulu, HI, was embroiled in a feud between an AIDS patient and the patient's sister-in-law. Wong-Fernandez, a friend of the sister-in-law, used her position at Straub to access the patient's medical records. She then posted the fact that the victim was HIV positive on her MySpace page.

During the trial, a prosecutor read the words that a seemingly rueful Wong-Fernandez used, such as "no wonder she's so pale," and "I hope she dies," in addition to disclosing the patient's medical status. The patient died 2 months ago, according to KITV.com.

Despite her lawyer asked the court for probation only and the prosecutor recommending a 30-day jail sentence, according to the Honolulu Advertiser, Circuit Judge Randal Lee sentenced Wong-Fernandez to a year in prison, a 5-year probation and 200 community service hours. She pled no contest to a felony--first-degree unauthorized computer access.

Straub fired Wong-Fernandez after the breach was discovered, the Star Bulletin noted. She accessed the victim's medical record three times over the course of nearly a year.

The case shows that malicious use of PHI isn't necessarily taken lightly. Wong-Fernandez abused her position at the clinic to harass the victim, and despite having three children under the age of 3 at home, she'll spend a year in jail for her actions. Hopefully we won't see more cases like this, but with the rise of social networking, it's not likely that this is the last time someone will use PHI with the intent to harm another person, unfortunately.

We're not alone. From our northern neighbors to the folks down under, everyone seems to be struggling to get EHRs right. The eHealth Ontario CEO just resigned for questionable spending, and there's continuing uproar in Australia over privacy-or the lack thereof-in the national EHR system.

But catch a plane due South, and the picture changes. Citizens in Belize are enjoying improved access to care through a national EHR system. The developing country has been lauded as a leader in advanced nationwide health care, according to Canada's Telegraph-Journal.

The EHR system improves disease tracking, streamlines patient verification and links doctors even when connectivity is limited. But here's the real kicker: it cost about $500,000-that's $2 a head. It uses open source components, which saves money and makes the system more compatible with providers across the board. (Watch for our June cover story on open source software, in the mail next week!) The country also got financial backing from the Inter American Development Bank and Pan American Health Organization, according to the article, but that makes the feat no less impressive. In fact, Belize will likely become a model for other developing countries to follow, the report said.

So why is it so tough for us? I'm no expert, but in this situation you just can't compare apples to oranges. The U.S. is much larger than Belize, both in geography and population, so any widespread change is bound to be tough. We also might have more demands about what our EHRs should or shouldn't do. For providers, EHR systems run the gamut from bare bones to fancy-schmancy, and if the government mandated a particular one, someone would give lip.

So wait, cross our fingers and hold our breath, we will. EHRs seem pretty inevitable, so let's just hope we find the American version of Belize's success.  

Medicare rules are tough to follow, even for professionals immersed in the world of coding, compliance and reimbursement. But if providers are struggling to monitor changes and understand the if-thens of Medicare policy, imagine the brain cramps lawmakers must suffer when they bone up on rules before making a (semi)informed decision on Medicare reform. With limited knowledge of the system, should lawmakers be entrusted with the future of Medicare?

That's what President Obama is weighing as part of health care reform, according to the Washington Post's Ezra Klein. President Obama has indicated the possibility of turning the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) into an executive authority that would basically give free range to dictate Medicare policy. MedPAC currently explains complex rules and offers recommendations to Congress, but few proposals survive the lion's den of lobbyists and make it to the floor, Klein noted.

If MedPAC earns a spot on the executive branch, it will actually have the power to enact change. Proposals would still need Congressional approval, but filibusters and other hang-ups would be out of the picture, according to Klein. And with lawmakers already looking to MedPAC for advice, anything the commission says will probably go.

Klein noted the benefits of having MedPAC make decisions -- namely, the commissioners have more expertise than the average lawmaker. So instead of battling with complex and conflicting rules, health care organizations may finally have a Medicare system that makes sense. But what about checks and balances? If MedPAC becomes the ultimate authority, will there be any room for debate? Sure, Congress can always say "nay," but will lawmakers simply trust the experts and push policy through?

I'm curious to see what HIMers, especially those who deal with Medicare regularly, have to say on the subject. Are you familiar with MedPAC? Do you agree with its past recommendations? Do you think giving the commission more power will be a positive change for health care?

The last sessions are winding down at NCRA in New Orleans, and today was filled with learning and laughs. In the morning, attendees listened to sessions on advocacy, the importance of CTRs and a plethora of advanced abstracting topics culled from recent NCRA Webinars.

Later, registrars gathered for lunch and laughs at the awards ceremony. Carol Hahn Johnson, BS, CTR, was honored with the distinguished member award, which isn't given out every year, but only on an ad hoc basis. The presenters donned feather boas to give Johnson her award, and told stories that poked fun at Johnson. In addition to the award, Johnson will also take home a headlamp (she once wore mismatched shoes on a trip) and a visor declaring "You are here," paying tribute to her troubles with directions.

President Lynda Douglas said her goodbye in a brief speech, thanking everyone who helped her along the way. Inez Evans, RHIT, CTR, then took the podium as the incoming president, and caused chuckles when, in a slip of the tongue after being crowned, wrapped in a feather boa and otherwise bedecked completely, she thanked Douglas for the work done during her "pregnancy," rather than presidency, and would present Douglas with a "plague," rather than plaque.

The afternoon was packed full of concurrent sessions, and many registrars will leave the heat and humidity of New Orleans today or tomorrow. Overall, the last few days have been packed with education, reconnecting with old friends and good times in the sessions and out on the town.

Today's sessions opened up with a view of the past and present in clinical staging. Donna Gress, RHIT, CTR, technical specialist with the American Joint Committee on Cancer, touted the value of clinical staging, went through the T, N and M category assessments from the AJCC 6th Edition Cancer Staging Manual, providing cautions along the way. Gress then explained some of the changes to clinical staging that will be heralded in with the release of the AJCC 7th Edition Cancer Staging Manual in August, which will be applied to cases after Jan. 1, 2010.

The first chapter of the manual will expand, providing more detail and guidance to registrars, and some rules will change. These changes will be detailed in future Webinars and talks. Node biopsies and sentinel nodes will change from the 6th edition to the 7th. The audience of registrars applauded when Gress revealed that the M category, which indicates if cancer has metastized, will no longer have the use of MX as an option. MX indicates that metastasis is unknown.

Later in the morning, registrars gathered in the general hall for the International Plenary Series. Registrars from Australia shared their stories of establishing cancer registry in their country. With no standards, physicians who regarded the budding registrars as "spies" and a program that just kicked off in 2005, the registries down under have faced many challenges and are still trying to gain footing. Valerie Poxon, RN, PhD, who heads up a registry team in New South Wales, told the audience that she hoped for American help in getting cancer registries throughout the country. "We want to become your adopted children," Dr. Poxon said.

Right now, registrars are flocking the nearly 200 restaurants within a 5-block radius of the New Orleans Sheraton, enjoying a 2-hour lunch break. This afternoon, they'll take in breakout sessions and pack it in rather early, as the sessions end at 5 p.m.

Around this time last year, I was schlepping clothes, photos and a hodgepodge of kitchenware from my college house to my mom's place, an hour away. I was in that weird place between incredible relief that classes were over and immense grief as I said goodbye to faculty and friends. Graduation was over and, quite frankly, I couldn't wait to sit on my duff and read anything that didn't involve my senior thesis. That being said, it was tough to leave.  

But, ah, the memories of sleepless nights, stressful presentations and hours logged on the library's fourth floor came rushing back when I stepped foot on Gwynedd-Mercy College's (GMC) campus. In between filming interviews for the ADVANCE video, I chatted with the ladies about final exams and career aspirations. Thanks to a good education in a field that's in demand, many graduates already have jobs lined up. I secretly envied Lauren Houseal, who was spared the "Oh crap, I graduated and don't have a job!" anxiety I suffered for 3 months when I should have been enjoying my summer.

What's more, the two students you'll see in the video (spoiler alert!) feel more than prepared to wrangle with EHRs. We'll need their knowledge and skills to not only lead the industry toward HIT, but also help patients understand it. If I'm any indication, public awareness of EHRs goes something like: "Electronic records? Cool!" to "You mean they're not digital everywhere?" to "OK, EHRs would be great, but my doc's gotta use them the right way."

The public can be taught. Heck, I still can't believe how much I've learned over the past year. But don't get me wrong; I know there's a whole lot more I don't know about EHRs-stuff GMC students probably learned in database management 101. I can chat with my nursing friends about the agony of disparate systems, but I'm not there on the frontline of care. So I'm counting on the HIM work force to keep everyone-physicians, patients, vendors, etc.-up on what needs to be done so this dive into digital isn't a flop.

The year ahead will undoubtedly be a big one for these grads. Whether their employer is fully electronic, hybrid or paper-based, let's hope they strut their skills and help move health care toward that "high quality, low-cost" system I've been hearing about since I first learned the acronym "HIM."   

Those curious about the definition should rest easy in the knowledge that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will release the specs on meaningful use come "late spring, early summer," according to David Blumenthal, who heads up the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Blumenthal wouldn't spill the beans to the Journal on whether the Certification Commission for HIT (CCHIT) will be the group in charge of doling out the meaningful use label as EHRs are rolled out across the nation.

During the outage, physicians couldn't access patient records, so they didn't have information on prior visits, what medications patients were taking, which tests had been orders and past test results, according to Jill Skinner, NSW health opposition spokeswoman.

The system appears to be fairly new, as Infoworld reported on Monday that the hospital system shelled out $100 million, Australian, to purchase EHRs, and ZDNet Australia wrote in December that the hospital system would change its televisions out for bedside computers.

Nepean Hospital experienced a 6-hour disruption on Saturday, and another 2-hour disruption on Tuesday, prompting the ED to go back to paper records on Wednesday.

Staff members at Nepean didn't have faith in the system after it failed twice, according to Skinner, as reported in the Brisbane Times. The ED staff also expressed concerns about the time it took to document, as medical officers who previously saw eight to 10 patients per shift saw that number knocked down by three to five patients. "They spent so much time trying to access or enter information," Skinner said.

Getting used to an EHR isn't always easy, but maybe the ED is just experiencing some unique issues; The Western Weekender reported today that the hospital is overwhelmed with vacancies, with openings for 62 health professionals. Whatever the cause for the problems Nepean has, hopefully it's not predictive of what's to come over the next few years in America as EHRs become more widespread.

For those of you unaccustomed to Twitterspeak, "FTW" stands for "For the win," a throwback to those great sports moments when an athlete takes a game-winning shot. It's a way to express your love or appreciation-a more efficient way to say "This rocks!" within the confines of a 140-character tweet.

My title is really more of a question than declaration-is Twitter a game-changing tool, or will it turn out to be a blip on the trend scene?

Right now, social media is being put to the test in the health care arena. As the swine flu outbreak has Americans calling off trips to Cancun and watching out for the first sign of sniffles, Twitter is, well, a-twitter with news about the spread. Swine flu is the top search on Twitter, and everyone from Joe Schmoe to the Wall Street Journal Health Blog is talking, er, tweeting about it.

But is all this information doing any good, or is it just more chatter? The outbreak is giving other innovations their chance to shine-Harvard Vanguard, a large medical practice in Boston is using (surprise!) EHRs to track flu-like cases-so I'm curious to see which one ends up on top.

If the countless tweets firing off every few seconds do make a difference, it might be something HIM professionals should jump on. Phil Baumann, RN, BSN, has already found 140 health care uses for Twitter. I haven't perused the whole list, but, heck, what about a cancer registrar sending quick tweets to remind patients of annual updates? The opportunities are there, it's just a matter of getting people on board and doing it the right way. (Where have I heard that before?)

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about social media in health care, check out our video from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference, and keep an eye out for our coverage from HealthCamp Philadelphia, including a podcast with Phil Baumann, coming next month!