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