Designing a Social Media Platform in Support of Knowledge Sharing in Health Care Using Synchronous Video Communication

Abstract: Online social networks are evolving as platforms for health communication among the public, patients, and health professionals. Many existing health social network based portals do not provide synchronous-video-based communication features and are restricted to only text and picture based content sharing. Arguably, healthcare focused online social networks need video based communication for active knowledge sharing between providers and patients, peer-patients, providers and specialists, etc. for sharing disease related information. This study provides a technological framework and design architecture to develop a customizable online healthcare social media network that can incorporate synchronous video communication capability as one important option for knowledge exchange. The design principles and layers that support different types of functionality are described.

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Authors: Young Park, Mohan Tanniru, Jiban Khuntia