I’m just blown away to witness the continued growth of the diabetes online community. Many of us who’ve been intensely plugged in for a while are stretching ourselves beyond blogging these days, exploring new ways to share and help each other out.  For example, Scott J has been revealing his emotions, Allison is working on publishing people’s stories, Kerri’s filming her vlog, and Manny’s building his foundation.

For my part, I’ve been pretty wrapped up in corresponding with folks new to the online community through the newest social network Diabetic Connect, which has about a gazillion new members since launch in early June.  I’ve also been invited this Fall to an awful lot of Health/New Media events, to moderate panels and/or stand up and talk about what community and medical design and online resources really mean to patients like us.  As one rather traditional organization put it, “it’s about putting the person at the center of healthcare now.” Here’s a quick lineup of what’s on the docket:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Project HealthDesign event

Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Westin Washington DC City Center

I’ve been invited to present the keynote speech (!) at this day-long conference showcasing the designs and lessons coming out of Project HealthDesign, a unique program in which the foundation has funded a group of nine teams to “design a variety of user-centered applications that could sit on top of a basic personal health record platform” (a la what HealthVault and Google Health are now offering).  Two of the teams are specifically focused on diabetes.

If you’re as curious as I am, you can view the draft agenda in PDF form HERE.

TCOYD Conference, Santa Rosa, CA

Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa

I’ll be running an afternoon hands-on session covering “Online Resources for People with Diabetes” at this excellent day-long conference and expo. If you haven’t been to a TCOYD event yet, you’re definitely missing out! Info on the Santa Rosa event can be found HERE.

The Behavioral Diabetes Institute’s Women with Type 1 Diabetes Luncheon

Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Prado restaurant in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

This is a new event organized by the BDI’s Director of Clinical Services Dr. Susan Guzman to “honor and motivate” women living with Type 1 diabetes.  Susan expects about 50 people for the lunch, and while they’re eating I’ll be talking. Luncheon keynote, here I come! Frankly, I’m just tickled about the prospect of being in a room full of women who get my life.  Ya know?

California Healthcare Foundation Health 2.0 “Townhall”

Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, CA

This is an open discussion forum about “fulfilling healthcare needs on the web.”  I’m set to be part of panel on patients’ ever-growing use of the Internet for diagnosing and understanding their conditions, which is titled, I believe, “Dr. Google”

You can read more about the the CHCF’s Commonwealth Club events, which are broadcast on KQED, at www.commonwealthclub.org.

Health 2.0 Fall Conference

Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 22-23, at the San Francisco Marriott

The continuation of the explosively successful Health 2.0 Conference series launched last year by Matthew Holt and Indu Subaiya.  This Fall’s event promises to be bigger, better, more detailed, and with more demo’s than ever. Participating companies include “everyone who’s anyone” in this space: Google, WebMD, Microsoft, Yahoo!, AthenaHealth, HealthGrades, MedHelp, American Well, HealthLine Networks, HealthCentral, Cisco, A.D.A.M, DrGreene.com, 23andme, and about 50 more.

I will again be moderating a panel on “Patient Social Networks” in the afternoon of the first day (Oct. 22). I’m excited to report that my panel includes three networks specific to diabetes: TuDiabetes, Diabetic Connect, and dLife — along with Inspire.com, Disaboom, iMedix and Careflash. Check ‘em out if you haven’t seen what kinds of rich and useful Social Networks are popping up for people with all kinds of conditions.

Diabetes Research Institute’s New York Research Update

Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York City

This is the annual event where the DRI presents its work, and addresses the burning questions:
* What’s next in diabetes research and treatment?
* What’s available now?
* Is it hype — or hope?

The theme is year is Diabetes 2.0 (aka Diabetes Reloaded?): Harnessing new technologies. I’ll be moderating a lunchtime panel on the “Hype or Hope?” topic, focusing on how much the media today cover so much on diabetes and research, and how can/should patients and families distinguish the facts from the “non-facts.” We’ll get perspectives from a leading researcher, a psychologist and members of the media themselves.

See info on the conference and agenda HERE.

Also, as some of you may know, Allison Blass and a bunch of other OC members are working to put together an afternoon session for adults with Type 1 diabetes. It’ll be a great place to meet and greet, and learn some things very specific to our unique lives.  See you there!

CA Healthcare Foundation Chronic Disease Care Conference: Better Ideas in Action

Thursday and Friday, Nov. 6-7, at the new Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco

This event will bring together 300-400 primary physicians and other clinical staff, managers and payers from California-based organizations to talk about doing things better.  Gotta love that!

I’ve been asked to participate in a panel discussion on “new and innovative applications leveraging Health 2.0, video and other media.” The organizers tell me they want to hear the perspective of a person living with diabetes, and also what DiabetesMine has meant to myself and others.

For the most recent conference agenda on this one, please go HERE.

Also, (icing on the cake) I was recently a guest on TCOYD TV’s edition on the online world of diabetes.  Me and Jeff Hitchcock of Children with Diabetes, that is:

Whew, that’s a lot of talking to do.  I’m usually better in writing…  I sure hope I do us proud.

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (6)