hashtagHarnessing the Hashtag: A Standard Approach to GI Dialogue on Social Media

Austin L. Chiang, MD; Bryan Vartabedian, MD and Brennan M.R. Spiegel, MD, MSHS, FACG

Am J Gastroenterol advance online publication June 28, 2016

A new social media project for gastroenterology proposes a “hashtag ontology” to unify all hashtags and organize discussion on specific GI topics.  In an article published online today in the Red Section of The American Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr. Chiang, Dr. Vartabedian and Dr. Spiegel look at social media as a communications tool in health care and present what aims to be a comprehensive list of social media hashtags relating to GI diseases and disorders.

Chiang Vartabedian SpiegelThe authors write, “Similar to other medical specialties, we in gastroenterology seek a more active role in organizing social media dialogue by devising a hashtag ontology. The ontology may serve as a scaffold for individuals and organizations to both promote and participate in relevant scientific discussion. Over time, some hashtags may fade, whereas others become commonplace; this dynamic document will be adjusted to reflect the evolving social media landscape of gastroenterology.”

READ THE ARTICLE HERE