At the intersection between Web 2.0, social media, Health IT and healthcare reform lies the tools of the new economy. Aside from the blogosphere, a whole host of social media tools can be useful to provide real time information, networking possibilities and develop grassroots efforts for reform. As Cascadia has said we now have a consumer voice in the ongoing Health Informatics conversation using the new social networking tools.
Tim O'Reilly, Founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, was interviewed by Blaise Zerega of Flora.tv at Web 2.0 2009. In the clip below he argues that microblogging service Twitter is changing real-time information search and describes how Twitter is going to be such a powerful tool in the new digital economy.
Forrester Research CEO George Colony calls the current economic trouble the Gateway Recession, and end of the Gateway Recession will usher in a new technology era. In discussing the importance of social media in this new economy Rob Preston, Editor-in-Chief of Information Week makes a compelling argument that one "gateway realization is the need to give customers, partners, and employees freer access to one another via social media, Web 2.0 collaboration tools, consumer devices, and other contraband systems."
The discussion of hugging data and the video of Tim Berners-Lee's Ted Talks where he envisioned a "Semantic Web" - an evolved version of the same system that recognizes the meaning of the information it carries. As I said, we need to consider how we can best securely share data and develop open standards that work. Social media provides a wonderful framework for collaboration.
The conversation continues and you can jump in any time...
