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Tweeter: @diariomedico

Tweetee: @sgdean

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Steve Dean
Date: Dec 03, 09
Time: 06:00
Category: Business

The tweeterview as recorded:

Q1:	"Welcome to our twitterview. Remember you can read this live on Twitter or through www.tweeterview.com (no signup required for re.."

More on Q3...

..dy tried?

What we've found in the ethnographic research we've done with @indiyoung is that people will tell us all sorts of rich way..

..s in which they're dealing with their health and day2day needs.

Our hope is that we're introducing new experiences into processes where the touchpoints between provider and patient are m..

..ore meaningful and impactful.

Q4:	"You stated that you have to educate large corporations. What's their general attitude towards this kind of proposals?"

At first skeptical. But we try to make the comparison between great product design and how to apply it to services they of..

..fer. "Service design" is new to them but most people understand good product design: chairs, toothbrushes, utensils

So, we have an historical foundation to draw on. That gets them open to thinking about how what they do can also be design..

..ed beautifully.

Q5:	"Are those improvements a priority in this economic climate?"

I think so. But it's tough because we run into lots of unexpressed fear. We look for leaders who are willing to take some ..

..risks.

And be open to new ways to innovate.

Q6:	"What are the main benefits for an organization that improves service design?"

Q7:	"But it seems that US healthcare system, as many others, is more focused on healing than avoiding sickness, isn't it?"

That's true. But the recognition in the US that we have a "sick" care system and not a "health" care system has ramped up ..

..this year. And cos. are paying attention.

Q8:	"So in your opinion, US healthcare does need a reform? The same fostered by the White House?"

Yes, and it's a multivariant problem to solve. First, there's health insurance reform. Then there's health technology cost..

.. reform. And then there's a whole bunch of stuff that needs to happen around wellness and prevention.

Q9:	"I read somewhere that America has a long way to go in learning healthy lifestiles and acknowledge its importance. Do you agree?"

More on Q9...

i.e. Is general public really ready to keep itself healthy?

I'm not sure I agree. In the research I've done across this country most people know what to do to stay healthy and they k..

..now the value.

But our lives are so busy we need help to integrate these practices better. It's not just food, exercise and checkups -- a..

..reas we can continue to improve on -- but also relationships, work satisfaction, meaning, etc.

Q10:	"Do you think better designed service when in contact with healthcare providers could foster these practices? How?"

Yes, but most providers are already over-extended. I think our future will see a huge growth in the area of health coachin..

..g providers to fill these gaps. I think health coaches, nutritionists, fitness trainers, etc. are the designers of the f..

..uture.

Q11:	"Who can be a health coach and how does this works?"

Many of the ones I come into contact with are nutritionists, social workers, psychologists, behavioral experts and so on.

In the US many of these coaches are filling gaps and helping people manage lifestyle conditions and they do this online, b..

..y telephone and in person.

Q12:	"What is your personal experience with Twitter? Why do you use it?"

How much time do we have? :)

Last year I conducted an experiment with Twitter to use as a group support tool for behavior change.

The simplicity and beauty of tool -- it completely gets out of our way -- to let us do what we want to do -- is genius.

In my experiment I set up separate pvt accts for specific groups - one was weight loss and one was exercising.

They were all small groups on Twitter (w/protected tweets, not public) and we each developed our own language around goals..

.. to support each other.

It's probably as close to something like an offline support group that I've experienced online. Forums & message boards do..

..n't come close to what we experienced on Twitter.

Q13:	"And did the results lead to behavioral changes?"

Yes! And a more surprising consequence -- other people have experienced this as well -- but over those no emails between g..

..roup members went out. Twitter may be the next generation email tool.

Meant to say, "over those 6 mos. no emails went out between members"

Q14:	"Could Twitter have a longlasting impact in doctor-patient relationship? Are doctors willing to use it?"

Not until the form factor improves. I was at the dermatologist yesterday and they were all carrying around these bulky lap..

..top/tablets.

We would need an app built on top of Twitter that doctors/patients would use. To get there?

User-centered design methods. Involve doctors/patients in the design process. Use the doc office as a lab to test prototypes.

Q15:	"You mean something like an app to read/write tweets from a mobile phone?"

Yes.

But also integrated into other apps, EMRs, PHRs, etc.

Q16:	"This could be coming soon, but the problem of mindset would still be there. "