PCWorld’s article from April 17^th discusses the slow down of Twitter’s growth.  I am not certain the “slow down” of growth equates to Twitter going away.  After all, its popularity sky-rocketed over the last year or two; theoretically, something can only add users for so long and we just run out of people.  So, the fact that Twitter’s growth went from 20 percent at a peak in 2009 down to .15 percent at the end of the year doesn’t mean its going away; it merely means its not adding users at the same pace. 

In a blog several weeks ago I talked about Twitter sustaining itself as it currently exists.  My opinion is it needs to evolve into something else.  (http://www.medicalgpsblog.com/?p=77)

In support of this was a comment left on the PCWorld site: “I continue to lose interest day by day. Why? For starters, it’s populated by spammers and 99.9 percent of my DMs are junk. Secondly, more and more people are using Twitter to broadcast only what they want to say, not engage in conversation.”

Check out the PCWorld article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/194451/has_twitter_lost_its_tweetness.html?tk=rss_news

I also blogged about using Twitter in business and how that may be the sustainable market. (http://www.medicalgpsblog.com/?p=94)

In next week’s blog we will discuss this a little further and focusing on a PCWorld article about Twitter’s new business model.  In the meantime, how do you use Twitter?  What do you thing about PCWorld: “Has Twitter Lost its Tweetness?”

—Marty Hudson

Real healthcare reform could take place. 

Every doctor I have met will say they got into medicine because they wanted to help people.  Yes, they understand they can have a good income, but I also firmly believe money will not keep you doing something you don’t enjoy.  Most docs also admit they become a little more calloused after a number of years of practice.  Well, don’t we all.

Doctors are on the frontline; everyday all day.  They work long hours, are liable for their actions, but have never been able to come together as a profession.  Health insurance companies, courts, lawyers and lawsuits have routed them around for years.  And now, even more than ever, it’s the government getting their turn. 

Doctors are not the best businessmen in the world, although I have met a few that are.  But if left to them, everyone would get healthcare, insurance companies would pay a fair reimbursement for services, everyone would be able to get coverage and frivolous lawsuits would be tossed out of court. 

But for whatever reason, they can’t pull together.  It would be interesting to see if they did.  What if they said, ‘enough is enough’?  Well an urologist down in Florida is saying just that.  He posted a sign on his office door: “If you voted for Obama . . . seek urologic care elsewhere. Changes to your healthcare begin right now, not in four years.”

Wow!  What if everyone did such?  What if docs decided they did not want to see patients that are on the public option?  Certainly would not be good for “healthcare reform.” 

I am not advocating such.  Doctors are not going to turn away a patient; there are ethical ramifications.  The doctor in Florida said he would not actually turn away a patient.  You can read the full article here:

http://www.latimes.com/news/health/healthcare/la-na-gop-doctor4-2010apr04,0,6717021.story

However, this is just one more indication of the divide that has been created in this country.  I have said it before, we desperately need healthcare reform, but I question if we are going about it right.  How can it be right if it has created such a divide?  Why aren’t doctors more involved in healthcare reform?  I think their input would be invaluable.  What If Doctors Only Knew the Power They Hold?

—Marty Hudson