Why #hcsmca?

Let’s crowd-source the answer to this question.

In true Canadian fashion, I first sought – and found – support for starting #hcsmca (Health Care Social Media Canada) beyond our borders.

“Social media is being effectively sold as a mass marketing tool to garner buzz that converts to sales, when in point of fact, social media is a highly focused tool that can effect change,” writes Mark Dimor in his article A Case of Chronic Otitis Media Walks into an AA Meeting: Shortening the adoption curve for social media. He goes on to say, “health care social media (hcsm) is not about large, global Pepsi-type social media programs but, small discreet exercises that are developed in parallel with [an] organizations’ mission and corporate goals.”

#hcsmca was inspired by the success of #hcsm and #hcsmeu. The discussion ignited by Angela Dunn’s article The Global Social Conversation: You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to! underlined social media’s usefulness locally as well as globally.

Supporting the local focus of the #hcsm “franchises” (#hcsmeu, #hcsmsv, #hcsmeues, #hcsmeufr and now #hcsmca) Neil Crump commented, “Social chat and the web is global, but regulations, culture, and the way health is paid for create segments of similarity where it makes sense to focus discussion.”

It is my hope that #hcsmca will foster a vibrant community of sharing amongst all those interested in improving the patient and provider experience, and give us an opportunity to highlight the great work that is going on in healthcare in Canada.

Add your thoughts. Why (or why not) #hcsmca?