Solvers identify challenges, then test and develop new concepts, code, and inventions to meet their needs. They work on a problem with a singular focus because their life – or the life of a loved one – often depends on their ability to find or invent a solution. Some Solvers openly share their designs online for […]
key people
Networkers pool resources
“You are not alone.” People who are newly diagnosed or facing a health challenge long to hear those words. Connection is an antidote to suffering and confusion. When they are able to tap into peer-to-peer networks of patients and caregivers, Networkers learn in community about their condition, shrug off the burdens of isolation and shame, then urge […]
Seekers go out on the hunt
As I’ve shared in previous posts, I’m writing a book for MIT Press about the key role that peer health advice plays at every level of our health care system. The people I’m describing in my book do not wait to be invited to create opportunities for positive change. They seize opportunities to take action. They reject […]
Too legit to quit
Sara Riggare, PhD, an expert in patient-led research and personal science, tweeted this animated GIF depicting the common process in starting personal science, which is based on Anne Wright’s work: Andrea Downing was among those who replied, writing: “My feedback: We’ve been saying for years what you outline here. The question is: how do we […]
What can we do by Tuesday?
If you have spent time learning about health care improvement, you may have heard someone ask, “What can we do by Tuesday?” It’s an urgent question that asks you to immediately apply an abstract principle to your daily practice. I had heard it repeated many times over the years, without attribution, and I was curious […]
Should peer health community moderators get paid?
Evidence is piling up in favor of peer health communities. The question is: How do we sustain them for the long-term? Here are 3 studies (of many) about the benefits of peer-to-peer health advice: A survey of the #bcsm community found that participation lowered people’s anxiety and increased their overall knowledge of breast cancer. A survey of […]
Recent Comments