Whatever else the future holds for healthcare, it will certainly involve more extensive applications of digital technology. That’s not to say HCPs have been slow to adopt it.  Many branches of healthcare have already been busy harnessing the potential of digital in smart technical ways: gene sequencing, diagnostic imaging, telemedicine, electronic medical records and so on. 

In this three-part blog, we look at ways in which social media can become integrated into the fabric of our nation’s health care; we look at how it can and must become a means of fostering all-round well-being, from simple fitness all the way through treatment adherence to chronic disease management.  Part One looked at the quality dimension, part two tackled cost and value, and in this final part three, we explore the role of influence -- and offer a closing perspective.

INFLUENCE

Those of us working at the intersection of social media and health have to become adept at thinking across two very different time scales: short and long. 

In our last blog entry, we took a look at the history and development of the ambient space.  In this latest entry, we explore how ambient devices dedicated to health and wellness can make a significant contribution “in the moment” – that is, when and where it is most effective.

The right information, delivered in the right way for each individual “in the moment,” has the potential to nudge behavior in healthier directions.  “Glanceable” and “skimmable” are the key words for Ambient Communication.