#HCSM represents Health Care Social Media. Social Media is currently being used on international level to discuss health care topics by not only doctors and patients, but also by scientists, medical students, journalists and the like.
Because of the advancement in medical technology, such as bio-printing, 3d-printing, robotics, googleglass etc. twitter in particular acts as the preferred platform for discussion and indexing in real-time, as opposed to most search engines, which can take several weeks to list an update.
#HCSMSA is a non-profit initiative and relies solely on fundraising and sponsorships.
Vanessa Carter is a #facialdifference #ePatient who has been invited to attend the Doctors2.0 & You conference in Paris, in June 2014. This conference is in association with Stanford University and is the only international conference that is focused on the use of web2.0 & social media in healthcare.
Vanessa owns an advertising company in Johannesburg which was established in 1997 called Artext. A new division now specializes in Medical website design & social media.
Visit www.hcsmsa.co.za/crowdfunding to learn more about how you can help South African health through the use of social media.
What is #HCSMSA
#HCSMSA represents Health Care Social Media South Africa. It is a non-funded project which hopes to be a means to advance healthcare in South Africa by providing a platform to curate information as well as collaborate and discuss health issues. Social Media is currently being used on international level to discuss health care topics by not only doctors and patients, but also by scientists, medical students, journalists and the like.
Because of the advancement in medical technology, such as bio-printing, 3d-printing, robotics, googleglass etc. twitter in particular acts as the preferred platform for discussion and indexing in real-time, as opposed to most search engines, which can take several weeks to list an update.
South Africa are in desperate need of turning their health care system around, especially with the rest of the world advancing at the rate that It is.
Overview of South African Health
In South Africa, parallel private health and public systems exist. The public system serves the vast majority of the population, but is chronically underfunded and understaffed.
The current government is working to establish a national health insurance (NHI) system out of concerns for discrepancies within the national health care system, such as unequal access to healthcare amongst different socio-economic groups.
Who is Vanessa Carter?
Vanessa Carter is a facial difference #ePatient advocate as well as the founder of #HCSMSA on Twitter- (Health Care Social Media South Africa)
She has been invited as an #ePatient guest to attend the #doctors20 congress in Paris, 5-6 June 2014, but she needs to raise travel funds of about $3,000 to get there from South Africa.
Vanessa had a facial reconstruction over a 9 year period in Johannesburg. She also established a advertising business in 1997, Artext which specializes in graphic design, website design, SEO and social media. The significance of attending this congress is that she will get a special look at the impact of the latest global technologies on the relation between physicians and patients, the use of social media & web 2.0 in healthcare which will be highly beneficial to the #HCSMSA tweetchats and South African health.
What is Doctors 2.0™ & You?
The fourth edition of the must-attend annual healthcare social media conference will take place in Paris; the only international congress devoted to the understanding of how physicians use New Technologies, Web 2.0 tools, Social Media to communicate with other health care professionals, patients, payers, pharmaceutical companies, public agency
Visit the website at www.doctors20.com to learn more or follow @doctors20 on Twitter. (#doctors20)
Why is Social Media so important to Health Care
Social media, in particular Twitter, is being used in healthcare for a number of valuable reasons. One of the first is because of the growth in medical technology and because of the capability it offers to collaborate and network on a global level as well as share live developments.
Mobile health #mHealth is now growing in Africa because of the issues in terms of access to public health especially for those in rural areas. Social media is a wonderful way in which to promote further advancement in this area.
How has medical technology progressed globally?
Medical technology has advanced at massive rates globally.
Emerging technology includes:
•3D Printing
•Bio-printing – Printing of human cells & organs
•Nanotechnology
•HealthIT
•Telemedicine
•Social Media in Health
•ePatients
•Robotic surgery
•Google Glass
•Online patient communities
•Mobile medical applications & #mHealth
Take a look at a few of our videos to learn more: