Best Hashtags on Twitter for Health Care?

What are the best health care hashtags to follow on Twitter?
I watch the Health Care Social Media (#hcsm) and Health Care Marketing (#hcmktg) hashtags.

Hashtags are used to tag content on Twitter so it's easy to find using search.twitter.com
or www.tweetchat.com.
Do you use hashtags to find content or twitter conversations?

What would you add to the list? Let me know!

Tags: hcmktg, hcsm, health care, twitter

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by skypen on January 18, 2010 at 1:22am

You should also check out: #socialpharm #fdasm #hcsmeu.

You can find some the top tweeters in this space here: http://www.pharmatwitterati.com/. They will show you the way to more hashtags worth following.

Take care!

Fabio Gratton
@skypen

Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on January 18, 2010 at 9:26am

Hi Fabio, Thanks for the information. I'm reviewing this list now. This is very helpful!! Thank you! Have a great day, Alicia

Permalink Reply by OdomLewis on January 18, 2010 at 8:03am

The European Community is also a good source of information via the Healthcare Social Media EU chat on Friday mornings, at 7 am EST at hashtag #hcsmeu. For more info on #hcsm, #hcmktg and #hscmeu, see our Odom Lewis Blog - Healthcare: Join in the Chat

Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on January 18, 2010 at 9:28am

Excellent, thank you. This is great - I'm very interested in following the EU chat. I've made a note to check it out on Friday. Have a nice day -- Alicia

Permalink Reply by Pro Hospital Patient on May 10, 2010 at 2:13am

Greetings Alicia.

I came upon your Site (and Joined) as I was looking for the "Best Twitter Health HashTags" as I am a regular Twitter and You Tube Contributor on all things related to Crohn's Disease and Chronic Illness. More specifically, I wrote a Critically acclaimed Book entitled, "Confessions of a Professional Hospital Patient" which details my 25 year battle with Crohn's Disease both IN and OUT of the Hospital. It covers my 100+ Hospitalizations and 10-15 Major Surgeries and I have been told it is quite Entertaining as well since the theme of the Book is How I get By with the Love and Support of my Friends and Family.

Anyway, I also record Helpful Videos on You Tube and this week's one is about the "Emotional Effects of the 'Journey of Diagnosis'" that all Chronically Il Patients go through and that's why I was looking for more Health Hash Tags.

I'm not entirely sure what your Site does and How I can Help - but if I can - please let me know.

You can check out my Book and even a Chapter Preview at www.hospitalpatient.com.
My Twitter Address is @HospitalPatient
I look forward to hearing from you.

Permalink Reply by Jack Barrette on January 19, 2010 at 10:10am

Hey Alicia, let's post a list of hashtags right on the group page - we'll find a way to do this pronto, then invite folks in this thread to add to it... Thanks for this discussion, so helpful to Health Activists.

Permalink Reply by Alicia C. Staley on January 19, 2010 at 3:42pm

HI Jack!
I added a listing to the first page of the Twitter group. I'll send out a note asking for people to add to the list.
Thanks, Alicia

Permalink Reply by PhilBaumann on January 19, 2010 at 4:39pm

There's a Twitter chat for registered nurses, other health care professionals and the public at large - #RNchat. The Twitter account is @RNchat. For information and transcripts, see the blog of RNchat.

Other chats or hashtag rallying tags:

#hcsmeu - European discussion concerning social media and healthcare - currently emerging as a remarkable source of knowledge, community and information about healthcare and the web - very pertinent to US in addition to Europe.
#FDAsm - news, links and some discussion around FDA's position on social media.
#hcsm - founded by @danamlewis, weekly discussions on health care communications, social media.
#ePatient - tag for ePatient information.
#hcr - general tag for health care reform discussion, links, news.

Also: when viewing hashtags, consider using a service like Twazzup which adds additional context (images, video & links to relevant content). For example, this is what RNchat looks like here.

Permalink Reply by Amy K on January 19, 2010 at 6:11pm

Loving all of the hashtags and helpful information posted here! Thanks for all of the great contributions!

Permalink Reply by Diana Lee on April 20, 2010 at 7:48pm

A pretty large/active group of Tweeters use #spoonie as in the Buy You Don't Look Sick spoon theory. That's always a good way to locate active, empowered patients. I also watch #mhsm (mental health social media).

Permalink Reply by leximaven on September 10, 2010 at 9:59am

I'm so glad I found this discussion!

Are there any other hashtags to use?

I know #co_health is a good one if you want to participate in their chats.
http://twitter.com/co_health

#gfh2010 was used for Games for Health Conference in May.

I'll keep my eyes open for any others.

Regards,
Alicia B.
MeYou Health
www.meyouhealth.com

Permalink Reply by Angie on September 20, 2010 at 5:25pm

The hashtags #lupus And #spoonie (previously mentioned) are popular for tweets among the lupus community, but I would like to establish a new hashtag #NPSLE to specifically address systemic lupus with CNS involvement or in recent terminology Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus. Besides using the hashtag myself, I'd like any suggestions the group can give me toward getting others to make use of this hashtag and terminology for communicating about their neurological symptoms.