Monday, September 15, 2008

Afterthoughts of the CNN interview.

CNN gets between 25 to 35 Million visitors a month according to Compete Site Analytics. I asked Ms. Elizabeth Cohen about the impact she though her column had and she did not know.

To learn about her readership and impact I believe Ms. Cohen should aligning her column with the Web 2.0 momentum and perhaps consider:
  1. Opening a Facebook account so empowered patients can learn about her life and column at CNN.
  2. Opening a Twitter account to send updates on how the columns are evolving.
  3. Letting fans write a chapter of Elizabeth's new book on smart patients, following the example of Freakonomics.
  4. Developing an open, user friendly, web platform where the readership can:
  • See a list of topics currently in production.
  • Suggest new topics for the column.
  • Rate the topics according to preference and priority.
  • Delete topics not of interest to empowered patients.
  • Recommend sources of information, search engines, blogs.
  • Connect with other fellow empowered patients and create a community.
As for ideas for new columns I suggest (please note the journalistic style...):
  • 5 things you need to know if you are going to self-medicate.
  • Who should think about a 'living-will'?
  • Myths and misconceptions about organ donation.
  • How to talk about death with your loved ones?
  • Superbugs and the problem with antibiotics.
  • Why are we still talking about washing hands in the 21st century?
  • The obnoxious patient (part 2): when being "too-good" of an empowered patient may put you at risk.
  • Finding a Doctor 2.0.
  • 5 Mistakes to avoid while using Email or the Phone with your doctor.
  • Are Electronic Personal Health Records something you need?
  • How to benefit from like-patient social networks?
  • Finding reliable health information that matters to you: How to set up an RSS reader.
What do you think and what are your suggestions?

Carlos Rizo

Books on Doctors as Patients and a few on the Doctor-Patient Relationship