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Using social media as a physician isn't about filling your office with new patients, as one expert will tell you, but is more about the "moral obligation" that physicians have to provide their patients with accurate health information. Healthcare IT News interviewed Howard J. Luks, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and an associate professor of Orthopedic Surgery at New York Medical College, about how he incorporates social media into his practice.

As it seeks to help members who have been diagnosed with diabetes better control their condition and avoid complications, Aetna has launched a program through which members will receive educational text messages, reminding them about screenings and tests, and offering tips on healthy eating and exercising."Managing a chronic condition like diabetes has to fit in and keep pace with today's increasingly busy lifestyles," said Kyra Bobinet, MD, medical director of health and wellness innovation for Aetna.

A study by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) finds that wireless networks, tablet computers and portable phone handsets improve clinical collaboration and patient care.

While it is "critical that doctors, who have the best healthcare information to share, be part of the online healthcare conversation," says social media advisor Glen Gilmore, "there are definite precautions that should be taken to lessen the risk of social media missteps."

Medco Health Solutions is teaming up with Verizon to help patients access their prescription drug history from any location and identify alternatives to costly prescription drugs.The Medco Pharmacy mobile app, available on Verizon Wireless Android handsets and Blackberry devices, gives patients the opportunity to review their medication history and drug plan at any time - including the doctor's office. With real-time access to that data, a patient can discuss with his or her doctor any drug safety or coverage issues as well as cost-saving opportunities.

More than 4,400 physicians have enlisted in an initiative - launched by QuantiaMD, the online physician community, and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SMH), which represents hospitalists - that's focused on helping high-risk patients achieve better outcomes and avoid preventable readmissions. QuantiaMD and SMH created the initiative in conjunction with a joint study that found that more than nine out of ten clinicians believe reducing readmissions is an important topic, but few have the resources at hand to tackle it.

Cars are already being programmed to parallel park, sense slippery road conditions and alert drivers to impending collisions. Soon they'll be helping diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels, detect unhealthy air conditions and offer wellness advice.That's the plan from the Ford Motor Company, which is working with healthcare companies WellDoc, Medtronic and SDI Health to include health and wellness in-car connectivity solutions on the Ford SYNC platform. The platform makes use of AppLink to allow drivers to access smartphone apps by voice control.