Just as the Internet's social networks have changed the way people communicate - a case in point is how Facebook helped Egyptian protesters to organize their historic demonstrations - social media also are changing the way doctors' offices operate and the way patients communicate with their doctors.
互联网中的社交网络改变了人们的交流方式，社交媒体也在改变医生诊所的运作以及病人和医生交流的方式。
What if you could use your cell phone to go online and make your medical appointments, request prescription refills or ask your doctor a question? Or, if you could retrieve your medical records wherever you had Internet access? What if an emergency room doctor could instantly see your health records, the medications you are taking and communicate with your doctor? It could save time, and maybe even your life. This is how social media and technology are changing the way medicine is practiced.
如果你可以用手机上网预约看病时间，请医生开处方，或者问医生问题；或者，如果你能在任何可以上网的地方察看你的病历；或者，如果急诊室里的医生能够立刻看到你的病历和用药记录，并且和你的医生取得联系，你觉得怎么样？那样不仅能够节省时间，甚至挽救你的生命。这就是社交媒体和技术如何在改变医疗运作的方式。
Dr. Jeff Livingston's practice, MacArthur Ob/Gyn in Irving, Texas, does all of this. "It has just revolutionized the way we do healthcare," he said.
德克萨斯州艾尔文市麦克阿瑟妇产科医院的杰弗·利文斯顿医生，就是这样做的。利文斯顿说：“这使我们提供医疗服务的方式发生了革命性的改变。”
Livingston and his colleagues use social media and password-protected software to share medical information with their patients. "We provide the patient full access to their medical care. Anything I can see, the patient can see. All of their notes, all of their doctor visits are right there. All of their lab work is right there."
利文斯顿医生和同事们利用社交媒体和有密码保护的软件，和他们的病人交流相关信息。利文斯顿医生说：“我们让病人完全了解有关他们治疗的情况。任何我能看到的东西，病人也能看到。他们所有的陈诉，医生门诊的所有记录都在这里。所有化验报告也都在这里。”
Patients can communicate privately with their doctors on the practice's web site through a secure connection or "portal" - and they can get information or join forums on the practice's social media sites.
病人可以透过安全的网站门户，在医生的网站上与医生交流。他们也可以在社交媒体网站上获得有关资讯，听取其他人的意见。
"We want to engage our patients in their healthcare," said Livingston. "So our practice has a Facebook page. It has a MySpace page. We have a Twitter feed. We have thousands of people who follow us through all this media. And what we found is that the patients really love that."
利文斯顿说：“我们希望病人参与自己的医疗保健。因此，我们有一个脸书网页，一个聚友网页，还有推特。数以千计的人透过这些媒体了解我们的资讯。我们发现，病人真的喜欢这种交流方式。”
Kristi Francisco said she likes being able to log on and get the results of her medical tests. "This way I could get right into the practice portal and see, yes, everything’s fine and I don’t have to worry about things and just go on with my day and get on with my life."
克里斯蒂·弗朗西斯科说，她喜欢上网查阅她的检查报告，“我可以直接进入医生的网站，看见一切检查结果都正常，我就放心了。”
Francisco said the software allows her doctor to electronically send her prescriptions to a pharmacy. That way, her medications are ready for pickup by the time she arrives. "I’m spoiled now."
弗朗西斯科说，这种软件使她的医生可以通过网络，把她的处方直接送给药房。她到达药房时，药已经准备好了。
MacArthur Ob/Gyn uses software developed by Sage Healthcare. The manufacturer said the software is secure and password-protected, and that confidential information stays confidential.
麦克阿瑟妇产医院使用圣人保健公司研发的软件。软件开发商说，这个软件很安全，受到密码保护，因此，隐秘的资讯不会外泄。
Livingston said the software also has increased office efficiency and cut costs by eliminating time-consuming practices and duplicative testing.
利文斯顿医生说，这种软件还可以提高诊所效率，通过取消费时的程序和重复化验而降低成本。
Another benefit of using the software and social media, he said, is that doctor-patient relationships have improved. Patients no longer have to rely solely on Internet searches to get medical information. They can find the answers they need directly from their own trusted doctor.
他说，使用这种软件和社交媒体的另外一个好处是，医患关系改善了。病人不再只依靠上网搜索，才能得到健康资讯，他们可以直接从他们信任的医生那里得到答案。 |