Thursday, March 30, 2017

Jumping on the Video Bandwagon: Albeit Late in the ‘Early Majority’

Many of us have been taught about the 'fascinating personality traits' that help humans organize how people will accept a new innovation

Innovators are a small group of people (2.5%) who lead the way with adopting new technologies, products and services. Early Adopters (13.5%) are the second category of individuals followed by two groups of roughly the same size: Early Majority and Late Majority both at 34%. Laggards are the last to adopt new things and they comprise about 16% of the population.

In terms of adopting new technology innovations - like multi-media technologies used to share your face, voice, mannerism and emotions - I consider myself part of the Early Majority. As much as I’d like to think I’m an Innovator or Early Adopter, I realize that I am not. 

Sticking Your Neck Out

When it comes to bringing a bunch of technology together to share more of myself – my ideas, opinions and beliefs via my facial expressions, tone of my voice and my emotions – then I’m comfortable being in that Early Majority category. 

This blog post provides a bit of insight to hopefully help you join the Early Majority of people adopting video as a means to share on social media.

Why Should I Use Video to Share Information?


1. Reach a Wider Audience: your content can transcend certain communication barriers

2. Encourages Active Engagement: rich media will convey emotions and engages at a richer level than text only

3. Stand Out from the Crowd: ability for most people to easily share video is a relatively recent thing

4. Generate Content to Re-purpose: graphics and text can be easily captured from video

Here’s How To Get into the Early Majority

Not much is needed to get going with video/audio recording and publishing. 

You’ll Need Some Equipment


1. Video Camera: your PC probably has a good one but a USB camera costs about $40. And offers the ability to more easily move and re-position the camera angle.

2. Microphone: you'll want a good microphone. I use a GoMIC from Samson – it’s great! And has other uses too. And a good headset can work too.

3. Fast Internet Connection: needed for Live Streaming but not all that important for capture only.

4. Editing Software: lots of options here. And there are a lot of cheap editing services. $20 will get you a lot of professional editing via several online services.

Of course, ‘mobile versions’ of all of the above are good to have too – but in my experience desktops provide best capture, editing and publishing facilities.

Publish Once, Share Everywhere


Capturing a raw video recording offers up all kinds of content creation opportunities. Not only can a simple video provide immediate value just by publishing it, but a video file also provides source material for all kinds of other content too – especially when some up front considerations and actions are taken about how the content is presented and captured.

Some byproducts of a good video can include:
1. Transcript based on voice-to-text translation or manual transcription (Several options)

2. Infographics and SlideShares – Combine your video with some screen shots, commentary, and add some 
losed captions.

3. Aa podcast episode – Simply drop the video from the audio and you have a rudimentary podcast (Audacity)

4. Dozens of short snips, tweets and soundbites. (Canva)

Next: Some Tips I’m Learning


Over the next few months, I’ll share some more tips about capturing, editing, sharing and re-purposing video to advance your information sharing agenda. 

For more actionable insight, ideas and opinion about healthcare data, technology, an services – and my experiences about digital health and communications, consider following me on Twitter where I share as @ShimCode.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Learn Something Insightful About Healthcare in 2017 or Earn $10 for Your Charity

The “Industry Pulse” is a popular label often used to grab your attention. If you Google “2017 and ‘Industry Pulse’” you’ll get about FIVE MILLION hits mentioning everything from popular trends in architecture to popular furniture purchased by Generation Z – and most everything and everyone in between.

Everyone and everything in every industry has a pulse. Who doesn’t have a pulse? And who doesn't want to know the pulse of the industry in which they operate?

The Healthcare Industry Pulse Beats Fast

Late last year, the Healthcare Executive Group and Change Healthcare surveyed about 150 healthcare executives, middle managers, consultants, thought-leaders, a few self-proclaimed ‘gurus’ and a couple ‘servant grunts’ like me and they completed a lengthy survey about the key opportunities, challenges, issues and risks facing healthcare in 2017.

The results of the Industry Pulse research survey will be revealed this week Wednesday, March 29th via a free webinar presented by two knowledgeable people - Ferris Taylor (HCEG Board Member) and Chris Link (Change Healthcare Consultant) - who were both deeply involved throughout the entire research survey process: from inception, planning, survey design, data acquisition, analysis, creation of results and delivery.


Now’s Your Chance to Learn More

I’ve been privy to a portion of the early survey results and I’m confident that those who attend the webinar will think the information, insight and ideas that’ll be shared on Wednesday, March 29th at 2:00pm ET will be well worth their time.

In fact, I’m so sure of the value of the information to be provided during this webinar – and afterwards to those wanting more – that I’ll personally donate $10.00 to a charity of choice on behalf of each person attending the webinar who doesn’t honestly think the information shared is insightful or has some practical application to their healthcare mission.

All I ask is that an honest opinion and feedback on the webinar be shared back to me.

Register Here

You can register for the webinar here.

To be sure, most people who know me understand that I’m not someone who readily touts fluffy stuff. I don’t readily brag on the work of others – particularly from large companies. Indeed, I’m actually a pretty critical individual and, I suppose, an overly cynical person. So this offer is quite extraordinary for me. I want to emphasize how confident I am of the value that will be shared on Wednesday by the Healthcare Executive Group and Change Healthcare.

Putting My Money Where Your Opinion Is

If you attend this webinar and you honestly don’t think the information that's shared is ‘good,’ then just send your name and which charity you’d like me to make a $10 donation on your behalf to shimcode@gmail.com

To be sure, I do not have any financial interest in this webinar - whether one or 1000 people attend this webinar – I am that confident in the value of The Industry Pulse survey results. This may not sound like a lot to some people but I’m sharing this offer with over 14,000 of my followers, everyone reading this blog post and ALL of Twitter. And I’m most certainly not a wealthy person. Theoretically I'm risking $140,000 with my pledge! :)

Enlighten Yourself

Register to learn about The 7th Annual Industry Pulse Research Survey- This Wednesday, 3/29 @ 2:00pm ET!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Recap of #TrumpHealthcare Tweetchat – A Success In Spite of Hashtag Confusion

Last night, the second or third instance of a new tweet chat about the American Health Care Act (AHCA) – increasingly known as ‘Trump Care’ took place. This chat was ‘sponsored’ by @physicianswkly and largely moderated by Dr. Linda Girgis (@drlindamd) a Family Medicine expert, clinical assistant professor at Rutgers Medical School (@RWJMS) and popular healthcare social media personality.

In spite of some fairly widespread confusion about the hashtag associated with the chat – the correct hashtag being #TrumpHealthCare – the chat did take place with 145 participants sharing 296 tweets for a total of3.7M impressions. See my commentary on these stats at the end of this post.

Since I was unable to participate in the chat, I’ve summarized what transpired based on the tweets I was able to obtain from @Symplur. I'e also added a few comments on certain tweets.

Here are the topics and associated contributions from chat participants:
Handle
Tweet
@physicianswkly
Please keep it civil & focused on policy & facts. Please no Trump rallying or bashing. Thanks for joining. Let's go!
@physicianswkly
15 MINUTE WARNING! let's stick to just the facts please. No Trump bashing or rallying! Trolls will be ignored.…

Topic #1: Do you think the #ACHA / #TrumpCare will be an improvement on the #ACA / #ObamaCare? Why/why not?
@drlindamd
Not much will change. I think the problems in the system have been getting worse and this will just continue.
@dfisher_p2
If 24 million people were to be uninsured under #AHCA, not sure how that is an improvement
@drlindamd
Not in its current form. Mandate is still there except worse in that 30% penalty goes to ins cos!
@idpharmacist
Not if this data are true: Many Trump voters would pay more #TrumpHealthcare bill
@misterchambo
Not in its current form. Mandate is still there except worse in that 30% penalty goes to ins cos!
@dfisher_p2
It's estimated that 79% of the tax breaks under the #AHCA would go to millionaires, that is not helpful to the masses

@ShimCode Comment: I agree with @misterchambo and @jorient: The estimates from the CBO can be very un-reliable. And it’s not their fault, projections and estimates are just that: projections and estimates. 
@mloxton
No. KHN and CBO pretty much show that it serves fewer, and reduces care. Cost savings at the expense of coverage
@misterchambo
Don’t trust the CBO! Makes as much sense as having Zeke Emanuel advise the President.
@jorient
What has the CBO ever gotten right? ACA enrollment?! A weatherman that bad would be fired
@lorenaolsonmd
Even if they're close, it is a total disaster!
@dfisher_p2
The manager's amendment included the increase of the inflator used for per-capita Medicaid inflation +1%
@misterchambo
Solutions for healthcare include: expanded HSAs, Price transparency, HD catastrophic policies and DPC. Will reduce cost.
@misterchambo
Or, more succinctly put, get insurance companies and government out of healthcare! Funding yes, medical direction no.
@drlindamd
Great points! I agree and I honestly think they are no solution to most people.
@dfisher_p2
But, block grants would not be available for the elderly and disabled.
@dfisher_p2
Managers amendment also accelerates the repeal of all other ACA taxes from 2018 to 2017
@drlindamd
Do you think this will have a big impact?
@dfisher_p2
Still no help for the low-income, elderly (or nearly elderly) individuals
@drlindamd
I think if this happens, we are going to see the frailest left with minimal coverage.

Topic #2: What’s the most impactful change in “manager’s amendment” to #AHCA made by House Republican leaders late Monday night?
@rogerbeauchamp
Correct! And 3rd party keeps 25 to 31 percent of the premium dollars, even those spent for primary care

@ShimCode Comment: IMO and that of many others, the above comment is ignorant of reality and history. And also ignorant of the key Medical Loss Ratio mandate passed in the ACA.
@jorient
Maybe >50% of $3 trillion goes to something that provides no medical goods or service to actual person
@misterchambo
Agree on exec salaries. Much better results with waste, fraud and abuse. Get middlemen out of the equation.
@jorient
Problem is 90% of expenditures go thru 3rd party. Drain the swamp!
@jorient
Tax credits should go to taxpayers, not insurance companies

@ShimCode Comment: A generally bad idea! Many people may keep the money and not pay their insurance premiums.
@drlindamd
Excellent point! But no one is looking at these 3rd parties too much: insurance cos., big pharma.....

Medicaid Block Grants & Giving Power Back to the States

@drlindamd
States would be allowed to choose a block grant rather than a per capita cap.
@dfisher_p2
States would be able to choose a block grant rather than a per capita cap to fund their adult and children populations
@dfisher_p2
Manager’s amendment takes $1B to fund the administration of the Medicaid per capita cap/Patient State Stability Fund
@mloxton
Selling insurance across state lines is fine by me so long as they meet the higher of state and federal specs
@drlindamd
Agree. But I still don't think it will help the people who can't afford it too much.
@mloxton
Interesting that the "sell across states" thing may create a gap for telehealth to grow
@jorient
Avoiding state mandates is whole point of cross-state purchase. Guaranteed issue (pre-existing’s) kills individual market
@jorient
Redistributing exec salaries: a drop in the bucket. Only a small piece of losses to the Swamp
@bburtcpa
I’m not for this Trump law, but this is wrong headed logic. The taxes were an abomination to begin with to introduce failed Socialist policy.

Topic #3: What will result, good & bad, from @SpeakerRyan’s plan to eliminate payroll taxes that help pay for #Medicare?

@mloxton
I think the HSAs tie up money, block grants are a sneaky way to throw people of insurance, and caps are just cruel
@mloxton
Unclear, but likely to be a logistical and HR nightmare
@drlindamd
Medicare will not be able to continue. It needs to be funded somehow.
@jorient
All Ponzi schemes die. Medicare is in deficit financing situation.
@jorient
Medicare promised it was only about funding. Whose bread I eat his song I must sing

Topic #4: @cynthiaccox of @KaiserFamFound posted this chart to show what happens w/ #AHCA tax credits. What do you make of it?

@dfisher_p2
I'll see your chart and raise you this one  https://t.co/cvRsY2sRFo
@drlindamd
Tax credits will help people pay for coverage. However, premiums are rising.
@drlindamd
Tax credits will not fix rising premiums/deductibles. Health insurance still unaffordable for many.

Direct Primary Care and Insurance Companies 
@jorient
Cheaper and better to buy care directly for needy. Why should managed-care cartel get even 15%?
@misterchambo
Agreed 100% on direct purchase for needy! Two Medicaid DPC pilots being worked on right now w/a possible third!
@jorient
Why is insurance a Holy Grail? It profits from selling something people can't or don't use.
@laughinhart
Insurance used to be helpful until Government got into healthcare.
@mloxton
Because it's "the market" and Wall St loves loves loves it. From any other perspective, it's just waste, adds no value
@jorient
Why not mandate as condition of employer tax exclusion that workers could take insurance value of health plan in cash?
@mloxton
From a value chain pov, health insurance has almost zero value add. In QI terms "Muda" that should be eliminated :)
@physicianswkly
But isn't #AHCA for people without insurance through work?

Topic #5: As a provider only, not based on political view, what is your take on the proposed defunding of #PlannedParenthood?

@drlindamd
Many girls and women go there for annual gyn exams and birth control. Teenage pregnancy/STDs will increase.
@drlindamd
For many women/girls, this is the only healthcare that they receive.
@mloxton
As an analyst and one time EMT, a cruel disaster that worsens everything it claims to seek. It makes no medical sense
@dfisher_p2
21% of counties have no safety-net family planning alternative should their local Planned Parenthood close
@dfisher_p2
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading reproductive health care provider and advocate
@physicianswkly
Thoughts on proposal to phase out #Medicaid expansions in 2020 & restructure of funding into lump sum for each state?
@mloxton
V shortsighted except for states with dwindling population. For rest, it's a massive time bomb that kills low SES ppl
@drlindamd
We need to make sure patients don't get hurt by this. We need to make sure those covered are truly eligible.
@drlindamd
Many people are gaming the system. Need to eliminate fraud and waste while not harming any patients.
@drlindamd
States will have a harder time budgeting for Medicaid.

Didn’t see any Trump Fans – But Several Bashers. Surprise!
@antisocial1972
@realDonaldTrump and why, look at his new #trumphealthcare, its shows he #HATES WOMEN, THE POOR, PPL SUFFERING FRM MENTAL ISSUES
@joyouswarrior
@realDonaldTrump This #PresidencyThing doesn't seem to be working out, Donnie. #UTTERFAILURE

Confusion about the Hashtag

There was a LOT of confusion about the hashtag associated with the tweetchat which I believe was due to two primary reasons:

1. Was it #TrumpHealthCare or #TrumpCare?

The #trumphealthcare tag too closely resembled the politically charged #trumpcare tag. Realistically, a more accurate hashtag would be #RyanCare. I suggest that if @physicianswkly intends to continue these chats, that an alternate tag be selected.

Handle
Tweet
@mandibpro
Linda, do we have topics, or free-flow?
@mloxton
Not seeing questions, am I missing something?
@physicianswkly
Really? they've all got the #TrumpHealthcare hashtag...
@drlindamd
Weird, I am not seeing all the tweets either even with the hashtag.....
@physicianswkly
Is big gov't blocking us?
@physicianswkly
Are people seeing these questions?
@idpharmacist
Only if I go to your specific feed @physicianswkly - even if checking "latest" tweets not visible? Not sure why...
@physicianswkly
Thanks! Not sure what's going on here
@physicianswkly
Gonna try retweeting the questions, b/c that seems to allow people to see them... let us know 
@drlindamd
We are using #Trumphealthcare. Not many were using it before our first chat. Definitely will look at it before next chat
@physicianswkly
The tweetchat hashtag is #TrumpHealthcare. Just mentioned #TrumpCare b/c that's a popular hashtag that the use of could pull more people in
@physicianswkly
Thanks for taking over the question-asking @DrLindaMD since our questions/tweets weren't being seen. Hope yours are!

2.  Confusing Promotion

The chat was promoted with the #TrumpCare tag. For instance:

The participant would have to review the above image to actually learn that the proper hashtag was #TrumpHealthCare.

Update: I stand somewhat corrected based on comment from 'anonymous.' And see my response to anonymous. 

Comments on The Chat's Stats 

Based on the generally controversial nature of healthcare and healthcare reform in the United States, the Donald Trump presidency and the fact that there was clear confusion as to the hashtag associated with the tweetchat, the stats for last night's #TrumpHealthCare tweet chat should be taken with a grain of salt. I suspect that many of the tweets intended for this chat were coded with #trumpcare and ended up not being seen - or counted in the Symplur numbers.



As a veteran of many healthcare tweetchats, I will share that 145 participants are very high number of participants for a chat; especially given there were only 296 total tweets from all those participants. Out of those 296 tweets, I filtered out over 200 as retweets and tweets that were clearly off-topic.

You can find the entire list of tweets from this chat here.

If you're interested in healthcare, healthcare reform, and healthcare data, technology and services topics, consider following me on Twitter where I share as @ShimCode.