Presentation from Bridget M. Forney.

At one point or another, 80% of Internet users have looked online for health information.  Social networking sites, blogs and podcasts have opened up two-way communication lines for patients and providers.  The days of patients merely listening to doctors, associations or even print advertisements appear to be diminishing.

But patients aren’t the only users benefiting from social media.  Hospitals and healthcare providers can and should us social media to their benefit, as well.

Want to keep track of the conversation around the FDA special hearings on internet and social media?

This #FDASM aggregator site from Ignite Health should do the trick.

The site was created to capture conversations and resources related to the Nov. 12-13 FDA public hearing on how FDA-regulated product manufacturers use the Internet and social media.

A mobile version of the site is also available.

Check out some of the most recent tweets on the site:

• From @rohal: Dermatologists, Med Oncologists are the Top Phys Spec Groups Communicating with Patients Online http://bit.ly/bHvqoL #hcsmeu #pharma #hcsm

By now, the challenges faced by health care and pharmaceutical organizations when it comes to government regulations on social media are well know.

But a recent blog post from SmartBlog on Social Media’s Merritt Colaizzi suggests there may be some hope on the horizon. Despite the added layer of complexity resulting from government regulation, several standout health care and pharmaceutical companies are helping to get the social media ball rolling, including:

• ZocDoc puts patients in touch with physicians, allowing them to book appointments online, as well as provide ratings.

Clearly, 2009 was a year of new beginnings for the health care industry — particularly in regards to the acceptance of social media channels like Twitter. But as we move into 2010, will that acceptance shrink, remain stagnant or skyrocket?

We don’t have a health care Twitter crystal ball. But we do have an interview with Phil Baumann, registered nurse and author, by HCPLive. Baumann shared with HCPLive his predictions for the future of Twitter for health care marketing:

2009 marked the year social media as a platform and news topic exploded. Not only for mainstream topics like celebrities and technology but for Healthcare as well. Scott Meis presented to the Healthcare Public Relations & Marketing Society of Greater New York (HPRMS) on current social media trends and tips. Some interesting stats:

• 36% want to see what other consumers say about medication or treatment.
• 34% using social media
• 46% using health portals
• 67% using search engines

From How America Searches: Health & Wellness by iCrossing and Opinion Research Corporation

Here’s the full presentation:

If you think health care consumers haven’t widely embraced social media to research health care providers, gather information on treatments and diseases, and support one another, think again.

This health care social media video, created by the organizers of the HealthCare New Media Marketing Conference, offers a host of interesting statistics that prove the use of online media outlets for gaining access to health care information.

Did you know?

• 60 million consumers now use new media to share their health experiences online
• 216 US hospitals use social media
• 142 US hospitals have You Tube channels

When was the last time you were sick but avoided going to the doctor because of all the hassles, from scheduling the appointment to filling out forms and answering medical history questions?

Doctors visits might soon be painless thanks to social media in health care, A Smarter Planet blogger Josh Catone points out.

Web-based and social media tools are making it easier to get health information, find doctors, make appointments, keep records, and get support. These tools are revolutionizing the healthcare field and the way people approach the practice of medicine. …

Jonathan Richman has a great post at iMedia Connection 6 Steps to Getting Your Healthcare Social Media Idea Approved that offers sage advice on what to consider to get the best chance of approval for a social media effort:

“Every company in this industry has a team of lawyers and regulatory folks whose sole responsibility is to ensure that the company isn’t getting into trouble with regulators. Many of these internal folks are charged specifically with making sure marketing teams aren’t putting the company at risk with a program that violates regulations.”