Building Virtual Communities and Social Networking Applications for Health Care Policy Makers
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Abstract
Background: Since the emergence of Web 2.0 and Medicine 2.0 virtual communities and social networking applications have been created for health professionals, patients and consumers of health care. As the Internet matures heath care policy makers are beginning to appreciate the opportunity afforded by building a virtual community and social network applications for their purposes. The health care policy making community is defined as anyone who is a health care policy professional in a position of responsibility in a government, organization funding or delivering health care services, a health care policy think tank, health care policy consultant, leader for a health care policy periodical or health care policy researcher.
Objective: This paper will identify, describe, inventory and assess the current use of Web 2.0 to advance the health care policy making communities role and responsibility in society. Recommendations for the future development of the virtual community and social networking applications will be presented for discussion.
Methods: The policy making community in Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, and selected European counties will be surveyed on the Internet to determine what virtual communities and social networking applications have emerged. The goals, role and achievements of the virtual communities and social networking applications will be described and assessed against a set of criteria.
Anticipated Results: It is anticipated that this will be the first inventory and classification of relevant blogs, RSS/XML applications, Mashups, video sharing, social bookmarking, and wikis with a focus on health care policy making. The content of the survey will be summarized, analyzed and synthesized to provide insights into the lessons for further advancing future health care policy making social networking applications. Challenges, issues and problems that face the policy community will be highlighted.
Conclusions:
The health care policy making community can benefit from becoming involved in the Web 2.0 opportunities. Caution is recommended to avoid negative consequences or risks associated with Web 2.0. Recommendations for future development are put forward for discussion.
Objective: This paper will identify, describe, inventory and assess the current use of Web 2.0 to advance the health care policy making communities role and responsibility in society. Recommendations for the future development of the virtual community and social networking applications will be presented for discussion.
Methods: The policy making community in Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, and selected European counties will be surveyed on the Internet to determine what virtual communities and social networking applications have emerged. The goals, role and achievements of the virtual communities and social networking applications will be described and assessed against a set of criteria.
Anticipated Results: It is anticipated that this will be the first inventory and classification of relevant blogs, RSS/XML applications, Mashups, video sharing, social bookmarking, and wikis with a focus on health care policy making. The content of the survey will be summarized, analyzed and synthesized to provide insights into the lessons for further advancing future health care policy making social networking applications. Challenges, issues and problems that face the policy community will be highlighted.
Conclusions:
The health care policy making community can benefit from becoming involved in the Web 2.0 opportunities. Caution is recommended to avoid negative consequences or risks associated with Web 2.0. Recommendations for future development are put forward for discussion.
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