Diamonds in the Rough: A Journey through the Blogosphere

This past week has been relatively quiet when it comes to news at the intersection of nephrology and health information technology, so I thought I’d share some gems I’ve found in the “blogosphere.” Wikipedia, a remarkable product of the internet, credits Peter Merholz with coining the term “blog” in 1999 when he split the word “weblog” into two. In just over a decade this popular form of communication and information exchange has exploded.

 

It is impossible to count but, depending on the source, there are estimated between 150 million and 1 billion blogs in existence today. Conceivably, there is a blog for every possible topic on the planet (and many off the planet). Some are very widely viewed and some exist solely as an outlet for creative expression.

 

Of course there is an aspect of “buyer beware” when digesting content in the blogosphere, which brings me to the point of this week’s post: Among the many nephrology- or health-IT–related blogs today, which ones offer objective insights? In this post, I will share a few of the blogs I find relevant (in no particular order):

1. Life As A Healthcare CIO: John Halamka (aka the Geekdoctor) is an ER doc and the CIO for both the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. A prominent member of the ONC HIT Standards Committee, John is also a prolific blogger who has made over 1,000 posts since starting his blog in 2007. Widely followed, John recently announced he has had over one million page views since starting. I find John’s health IT posts to be informative and typically very objective.
2. Healthcare Standards: Keith Boone (aka the Motorcycleguy) works for GE Healthcare and is a self-proclaimed “standards geek.” A prolific blogger since 2008, Keith focuses on health IT standards (and motorcycles). His posts are very detailed and he is not afraid of sharing his opinions.
3. Renal Fellow Network: If you find yourself bored to tears and are looking for something to do, Google the phrase “nephrology blog.” (Did I mention it was a slow week in the health IT/nephrology world?) Frequently you will find this blog at the top of the list, and with good reason. The Renal Fellow Network features contributors from across the country, including nephrology fellows whose posts relay clinical- and research-related topics with objective clarity.
4. Allen’s Blog: Allen Nissenson is the CMO of DaVita. A relatively new entrant into the blogosphere, Allen’s posts combine his extensive history as a thought leader in nephrology with a background in public policy. Through his blog, Allen provides a refreshing view on some of the issues the specialty faces today.
5. Uremic Frost: Simon Prince practices nephrology in New York and created this blog in 2007. He brings a sense of humor to a variety of topics that impact the practicing nephrologist. The blog has some commercial content, but I find it worth navigating past the occasional ad to enjoy Simon’s creative image selection. Plus, what nephrologist would not be intrigued simply by the name of this blog?

There are thousands of blogs out there. My list surely just scratches the surface. What are your favorites in nephrology and health IT? We’d be pleased to have you share them here.