As a medical student, my free time was valuable, but now as an intern and mom to multiples, free time is like a bowl of caviar smothered in truffle sauce and dipped in pure gold with diamond sprinkles sitting inside an Aston Martin. Why then, do I spend a portion of that coveted delicacy that is free-time being involved in things related to health care and social media? The short answer is that I enjoy it and it’s something of an investment, but here are a few more specific reasons I think physician involvement is beneficial not only to us, but to our patients. 

• Go where your patients are. It’s no secret that we are living in the time of internet information. Your patients are consulting Dr. Google – to answer health questions, to choose a provider, to manage medications – and we need to join them. With the wealth of bad information online, I truly feel that we have a responsibility to share what we know to be reliable health information in the place we know our patients are looking for it. 
• Google yourself… or any other health care professional and see what comes up. Likely, you’ll find a bunch of unreliable rate-a-doc sites filling up your first page of results. Now, google someone who’s involved in health care social media and leaving a positive digital footprint. The marketing speaks for itself. 
• The learning potential is endless. Though my online time is much more limited than it used to be, this is still a source of so much great information. Being able to interact with many of the most forward-thinking minds in health care is invaluable. “The Green Journal” tweets relevant literature, colleagues share interesting articles and tweets spark open-minded discussion, which often lead me to better understand practices, beliefs and actions of others.
• Writing is a creative outlet. I wish I had time to blog as frequently as I used to, but even having the chance to sit down once a month with my cup of coffee and write is a welcomed break for me. I enjoy the opportunity to exercise the other side of my brain occasionally. 

Truly, the benefits of being involved in this community cannot be overstated. The interconnectedness social media offers to us as health care providers has the potential to fuel an era of forward-thinking, interconnected physicians and empowered, informed patients. 

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