Thanks For The Memories

 "As of June 7, 2013, I will no longer post anything on social media including twitter, facebook, and blog posts, including the suspension of the Family Medicine Rocks Website and Podcast - Indefinitely - as I sort out the next step in my social media life..."

This announcement was made on today's podcast which was Family Medicine Rocks Podcast 307 entitled, "Social Media Soul Searching." You can listen to the entire audio podcast in the player above, or download here.

It has definitely been a long week for me as I celebrated my seventh year of being in social media with my initial blog starting in June 2006. I encourage you to read through my blog posts of this week including, "Blogging Anniversary," " Reflections From Seven Years Online," "The Race For Relevancy," "Social Media Soul Searching." At this point, social media is no longer fun, and I explore those thoughts more in the video below.

I've gotten feedback this week saying that I'm a "drama queen" and "just trying to get attention." I understand people saying that, and I'm not offended. My goal was something of transparency in what I've been going through this week and the announcement that was made today. Some thanked me for sharing this process because they have, or they are going through something similar in their social media lives.

I don't know how long I'll be gone from social media as I sort through things. However, any announcements I'll make will be through this website. I encourage you to click here and e-mail subscribe to the blog posts here. And, soon as I have something to announce, I'll place it up here on the blog. 

Finally, as I said during the podcast, Thank You, Thank You, and Thank You for all your support through the years, and especially to those of you who have reached out to me this week. I have been humbled and I will always be humbled by those who are interested in what I write, say, and speak. It is because of you that I am the social media person that I am today. I am very grateful to my audience. I encourage everyone out there to keep telling your story, and never forget why you started in social media in the first place....

Social Media Soul Searching

Hope you can join me for the live podcast today, June 6, 2013 at Noon Eastern Daylight Time for Family Medicine Rocks Podcast Episode 307 for a show entitled, "Social Media Soul Searching."

Based on the feedback I have received already from this week's posts, this will probably be the most anticipated podcast in a long time. I have been doing some social media soul searching this week, and sometimes have written posts that are out of character, even for me. 

This month is my seventh anniversary of having a blog, and earlier this week, I shared what I thought was the worst and what was the best about Health Care Social Media. I really appreciate everyone's feedback on the blog content this week.

Today's podcast will go further into what I have written, and at the end of the podcast, I will have an announcement that you will not want to miss. Hope you can join me live for the show today. If not, you will be able to download the show and listen when you wish. Hope you enjoy today's program.... 

The Race For Relevancy

This is part three in a series during this blogging anniversary week for me. In yesterday's post, I talked about what I thought were the best and the worst about health care social media in my seven years being online. In this post, I start looking at the future as I have reached another crossroads in my social media journey.

Why did you start doing social media in the first place? And, more importantly, why do you continue now? Are they the same reason? The reason I ask is that I've seen a lot of people (especially social media superstars) who started out for very noble reasons, get internet famous, and then kind of lose their way. "Fame can become very addictive," former President George W Bush said in a recent interview with the Huffington Post. I agree with that.

This week has been a real "gut check" for me and asking myself tough questions. I went through this a couple of years ago when I re-branded from "Doctor Anonymous" to "@DrMikeSevilla" and "Family Medicine Rocks." I was pretty transparent in that process. I invite you to check out this post, this post, and this post.

I think it's healthy to question yourself every once in a while. Have you ever had the time or desire to really re-evaluate what you're really doing in the social media space? Do you keep doing social media because you feel like you're making a difference, or are you afraid of losing the degree of internet notoriety that you presently have?

In looking back two years, I'm proud of what I've done with the Family Medicine Rocks website and podcast. Don't get me wrong: I don't think my work is done with this, and I will continue to tell the story of Family Medicine. But, there are other things I'd like to do in social media, and now might me time to change course, or not.

The Race For Relevancy is the continued challenge for all of us to remain important in the social media space - however you define that. Someone told me once is that if you're not a rising star, then you're a falling star. I've seen a lot of people in social media do everything they can to keep their popularity, and I don't have the conscience to pull some of those tricks.

For the people I respect in health care social media, the current trends in "The Race For Relevancy" are to write a book, to give at TED talk, and/or to have a smartphone app. I don't have the time, the patience, or the connections to make any of those happen. 

So, I have some Social Media Soul Searching to do. And, I will talk about this live on the air tomorrow during the podcast. Do I want to continue on the (Rat) Race For Relevancy and find a way to go on? Or has my social media expiration date come up, and it's time for me to fade into the sunset? More thoughts tomorrow...

Reflections From Seven Years Online

It's blogging anniversary week here at Family Medicine Rocks, and as I was saying in yesterday's post, I've been reflective about where I have been in the social media world, and where I am at right now. What follows below are some things I consider the Worst and the Best about Health Care Social Media:

What's with all the yelling? 

I've observed that through the years social media in the health care space has become more and more people yelling, and less and less people listening. What's funny (and sad) is that people try to champion the "breaking down of silos" and the bring together of different social media communities, but no one is really making an effort at doing it. A lot of people out there are more than comfortable staying in their own comfort zone community, uttering platitudes, and pointing fingers saying, "You should do this," while themselves not making the effort to reach out to other social media communities.

Where's the community?​ 

I remember when I started my blogging life seven years ago. I would discover blogs by reading other people's blogs. This was before twitter and facebook when you actually had to earn your audience by generating good content to pull people back to your site, instead of relying on a autobot to tweet your links for you.

Back then, you really got to know people by reading their long form blogging writing. You were proud to get and receive blog comments and a friendship was started. Now, the people on social media ask and demand that their content be RT and shared, and oh by the way, they have never RT any of my content. Hey, please fund my crowdsourcing project, but after we reach the goal, there is no thanks or recognition, just moving on to the next project. That's why I don't donate to those projects anymore.

Where's the innovation?​ 

When is the last time you saw something really innovative in health care social media? I mean really? Both Twitter and facebook became were introduced in 2006-2007 and really popular in the health care social media community in 2008-09. These two are still the dominant platforms in social media. Of course, there have been things like Friendfeed then and Pinterest now, but these remained outside the social media mainstream. Is the innovation in Health Care Social Media really driven by what happens with tech industry innovation? Do we have to wait until apps like Vine and SnapChat prove themselves in the health care community before we start using these? Am I missing something here?

Learned A Lot From Twitter Chats

I admit that I was late to twitter chats. This is a hat tip to Dana Lewis and everyone else who runs health care related twitter chats out there. Now, there are a bunch of them, and I have learned so much as I listen to the chatter and learn things I have never learned before. But, in recent articles, I think the twitter chat format is threatened because twitter is going to to turn off connectivity to tweetchat and tweetdeck is going away as well. Hopefully, there will be new opportunities like oneqube to pick up the slack and continue the twitter chats

It's Still About In Person Meetings

I wrote about this recently, but one of the strengths of social media is still the inperson meetings that I have had through the years with people I have met on twitter and social media. I still remember my first twitter meetup. It was in Las Vegas in the fall of 2009.​ You'll see that in the video below (yes, I was carrying a video camera with me, even back then). You never really forget the first time you put a twitter ID to a real person right in front of you - a sureal experience to say the least.

​I'm sure there are other topics to talk about, but these are the ones which came to my mind first. ​Feel free to add your own topics and opinions in the comment section. I was hoping to give perspective of a guy who has been around the block a few times in health care social media, and maybe (gasp), start a dialogue and discussion. Or, maybe I still think it's seven years ago...

Blogging Anniversary

Yesterday was my birthday and this month is the anniversary of when I started blogging. You'll see the image above which was my very first post from June 19, 2006. It was four lines, and I didn't know how long I would be writing. And, now it's (almost) seven years later.

This is a blog post of thanks for everyone who reads this blog and for everyone who has supported by social media projects through the years. I am not the most famous health care social media person out there (and, really, who wants to be), and I have made a lot of mistakes along the way. 

But, the best things that have happened to me in social media are the people that I have met along the way, and the opportunities that I have been given to tell my story. A lot of people have come and gone in the medical social media community through the years, and there have been many people who used to be very active, and not so active anymore on social media, but you still here about them every once in a while.​ I feel very lucky for still continuing after all these years.

Apologizes for such a reflective blog post, that is where I'm at these days. Over the next few days, I'll have more to say and more to write as far as where I'm at - at this moment in time. You'll have to stay tuned for those thoughts...​

Wrap-up FamMedRocks Ep306: Just Talking Podcast

​Thanks again to Christopher Snider for being by guest on Family Medicine Rocks Podcast Episode 306 last week. He is the host of the Just Talking Podcast and in the video clip above, we talk about "podcast theory" - particularly how to start your podcast episode.
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​We also talked about how he shares his life online as a person living with diabetes. He as accounts on twitter, a blog, a podcast, a bunch of tumblr accounts, and probably lots more of social media accounts that I didn't mention here. One section of our conversation was the challenges of being spread out everywhere on social media. I'd also like to thank Chris for writing three blog posts here, here, and here, about our conversations.

​One of the cool things that have happened in the past couple of weeks is a twitter hashtag started by Chris called #DayOfDiabetes. In the podcast, we talk about the origin of this and why he things this is important. Live tweeting is not a new idea on twitter. But, the cool part is that there have been other people in the Diabetes Online Community have picked this up and did a live tweeting day as well. Check out this link to see more #DayOfDiabetes.
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You can listen to the show in the player above, or you can download the show here and listen anytime. I also encourage you to check me out on other social media platforms including twitter, facebook, youtube, and linked-in. Enjoy!​

The Social Oncology Project

How does social media and digital communication impact everyday life? ​The folks over at MDigitalLife and WCG not only ask this question, but they also gather data, analyze data, and draw conclusions from them. Earlier this year, they worked with Kaiser to present some of this data in the "American Voices: Aligned For Health" project. The slides AND audio are below along with a youtube video with me and social media superstars Kevin Pho & David Harlow. 

American Voices - Aligned for Health from W2O Group

In a report published today called "The Social Oncology Project," they analyzed multiple platforms of digital communication including 13.6 million tweets, 640,000 forum posts, and 285,000 blog posts over a one year period. Also check out this post by co-author Brian Reed. Here are some conclusions that were found:

• Among cancer types, breast cancer remains the most-discussed cancer type. This reflects heavy interest from the patient community
• Cancer awareness months are rallying points online, driving measurable increases in online dialogue in most cancer types
• Celebrities, more than research or clinical news, tend to create conversations online. Like awareness months, nearly every major cancer type has seen a spike in dialogue based on high-profile individual's experience with cancer.

​There is a section of the report talking about physicians talking about cancer online. I'm proud to say that Family Physicians, more than other specialties, are well represented in their MDigitalLife database.

The report found that digital communication, like twitter, was aimed mostly at the general public for awareness purposes, as opposed to digital networking with other medical professionals. And who is mainly driving this public awareness? Family Physicians. How about that? (Do you hear that #FMRevolution)​

There is a lot more data and analysis that you should check out, read, digest, and even consider writing your own blog post on. It's good stuff and I applaud MDigitalLife and WCG for their continuing work on this...​

​Addendum: Also check out our pal @Doctor_V and his take on this from the 33 Charts website...

Social Media Doesn't Have To Be Serious

​Maybe it's just me, but it seems to me that social media has been way too serious for a while now. Success in social media these days is defined by a social media business plan to make money or finding some way to achieving reproducible outcomes in social media that gets you labelled as a success. Oh well, I guess that'll never be me.

I know I'm going to sound like an "old guy in social media" (the "get off my lawn" attitude), but I remember when social media was a lot more fun than what's happening now. Just wanted to share a couple of videos from the lighter side of social media life.

Back when I started blogging, I did what is called video blogging. And, that was a lot of fun. I've seen on youtube, a lot of people doing this now. So, I'm trying it out again. Let me know what you think, do you want to see more of this? The other video is just funny with a couple of the people I know just doing a random video. It won't make you laugh, but it did me. So, enjoy...​

Interviewed on Just Talking Podcast

Thanks to Christopher Snider, who is the host of the Just Talking Podcast, for being a guest on Episode 189 just released today. Check out their website here, and download the entire audio podcast here. Also check out the brief video segment above from the show. At the bottom of this post, you'll see Chris' notes from the podcast.

Dr. Mike Sevilla is my guest this week. We spend the next hour discussing his motivations to pursuing a medical degree, his journey to family medicine, and he shares experiences, within reason, as a doctor within his community. We also discuss the role of social media within his own practice, the potential for social media among all medical professionals, and the pressure faced when presenting the concept of social media to his peers. Enjoy.

While, it's always ​good to be the one interviewed, I like to be the one asking the questions. That being said, Chris is going to be MY guest on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 9pm Eastern Time for Family Medicine Rocks Podcast Episode 306. Hope you can join us then!

The Revenge of Long-Form Blogging

​As I was flipping channels this holiday weekend (while on call), I ran into Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I know that I have already lost most of you (I don't blame you), but I cannot help but playing back in my mind "You Were The Chosen One." 

This long form blog post was inspired by another long form blog post by our friend Sean at the My Strong Medicine blog with the post entitled, "When IRL Imitates Social Media." It is an almost 3000 word masterpiece. In today's world, that would be 10 separate blog posts.​

Many people have said that long form blogging has gone the way of the dodo bird, which is extinct. Sean's post gives a great summary of Health Care long form blogging in the past few years. This post was inspired by that post. Remember when that happened "back in the day."​

I remember Mike was that anonymous doctor-dude who had an amazing intelligent sense of humor (equal parts dry, sarcastic and witty) while maintaining a level of professionalism expected from a physician. He posted great quality content that spanned the world from tech-geek Apple stuff all the way to health care, health care reform, and social responsibility.​

​When I read this, I was both proud and embarrassed at the same time. I remember the blogger I was then, but then something happened. Something similar to how Sean describes in his essay. My emphasis shifted from quality content to wanting more quality marketing with spreading links to every social media platform I could find. It's a full time job to try to keep up with all the old and new social platforms out there.

You're ​gonna get sick of me talking about this, but the May 23, 2013 meetup has recharged my long form blogging voice. No one reads these long posts anymore, but I'd like to try to change that.

It's kind of a long form blogging renaissance, even back to basic ideas like, "How Does One Gain An Audience In Blogging?" It would be fun for me to write stuff like that again. I hope that you stay along for the ride. I very much appreciate everyone who checks out my blog and my other social media projects. Stay tuned for more fun!