A few years ago I wrote about some research from Johns Hopkins university that revealed the extent to which doctors are using social media to engage and interact with their peers.

At the time, the paper suggested around 25% of clinicians were using social media on a daily basis, primarily to share work related information with one another.

What’s more, much of this was happening on dedicated social communities such as Open Pediatrics or Doximity or even Radiopaedia.

The latest community of this type was launched recently by the Future Science Group (FSG).  Neurology Central is an online community for neurology professionals and features the latest news from the field, clinical trial information and access to peer reviewed content from FSG journals on neurology.

“The neurological landscape is changing rapidly, with advanced molecular approaches and new imaging modalities,” FSG say. “We developed Neurology Central to serve as a single site where members can stay up to date on all emerging aspects of neurological care and research.”

The site will also feature a range of multimedia tools, interviews with thought leaders and a range of articles from industry experts.

“Of all medical specialties, perhaps the most mysterious and the one with the most dynamic scientific findings is neurology,” says Dr. James E. Galvin, Professor of Clinical Biomedical Sciences and Nursing, and Associate Dean for Clinical Research at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University. “Neurology Central offers clinicians and researchers a ‘one-stop shop’ for the latest research advances, clinical trials, and information on neurological disorders.”

It’s an interesting development and further evidence that healthcare professionals are increasingly switching on to the benefits of peer to peer learning.

It’s in this context that the following TED talk was made.  It sees Stefan Larrson from the Boston Consulting Group talk about the importance of doctors performing their role in a collaborative way.  It’s no longer acceptable he says for the standard of care to differ so widely from hospital to hospital, and doctors should take the lead in ensuring that best practice approaches are shared amongst the profession.

Could health care get better — and cheaper — if doctors learn from each other in a continuous feedback loop?  With the cost of healthcare rising around the world, it’s a question well worth asking.  Enjoy the talk and let me know your thoughts in the comments.