| Online patient communities and patient forums have | | | | OS today! That's the plan, but no sleep last night!! |
| sprouted up all across the web, focusing on diseases | | | | Frustrated and needed to vent!!" |
| and conditions ranging from total hip surgery, to | | | | The goal of online communities for post-op hip |
| insomnia, to epilepsy and cancer. For the most part, | | | | replacement patients is to foster communication |
| these forums serve as a reliable source of medical | | | | between those who have recently undergone |
| information and the benefits of them are becoming | | | | surgery and those who have had one or more |
| clearer with time. One community in particular, | | | | surgeries. Experienced users are encouraged to help |
| patients recovering from hip replacement surgery, is | | | | "mentor" new patients, and provide a nurturing |
| showing dramatic growth and popularity. | | | | environment of support and knowledge. Obtaining |
| Post-operative hip replacement patients create a | | | | specific answers to questions like, "Why are my legs |
| social network in the online forums where members | | | | so swollen?" and "Shouldn't I be further on at X |
| can discuss their concerns about rehab and physical | | | | weeks?" provides patients with an immediate sense |
| therapy and ask specific questions from moderators | | | | of comfort and ease. In addition, e-patients are |
| and experienced e-patients. | | | | properly informed about rehab, recovery, and |
| Josephine Fox, moderator of a popular online hip | | | | infection hazards. The moderators, who have special |
| replacement forum and nurse of over fifty years, | | | | training in these areas, help to pass along reliable and |
| says that post-op hip replacement patients often | | | | practical information. |
| express worries about accidents, complications, and | | | | Post-operative hip replacement patients learn how to |
| failures. The support they are given in the forums | | | | use medical home-equipment like ice machines and |
| allows them to cope with the emotional side of | | | | CPM's (Controlled Passive Movement). Furthermore, |
| undergoing surgery. Emotional issues can range from | | | | physical therapy can be confusing to patients who |
| depression to poor pain control to difficulty with the | | | | are just beginning the stages of rehabilitation. |
| activities of daily life such as bathing, dressing, and | | | | Moderators and experienced members of the forum |
| mobility. | | | | offer suggestions on how to navigate this crucial |
| Using the forums as a place to talk about issues such | | | | period. Members who have gone through physical |
| as swelling, pain, and trouble sleeping helps members | | | | therapy for a total hip replacement are often more |
| to feel less disconnected and isolated after their | | | | than willing to share their experience. |
| surgery. One patient writes: "So... Saturday I noticed | | | | By sharing their experiences, patients can provide |
| a lot more pain and some swelling in the area of the | | | | more assistance to each other than even a physician |
| incision! It started like that be progressed quickly. The | | | | might be able to. Tom Ferguson, author of the |
| pain got a lot worse as did the swelling! Now it feels | | | | article, "What I've learned from E-Patients," writes: "I |
| like there is a water balloon under the skin there. It's | | | | have also learned that an online group . . . is not only |
| hot to the touch! It felt much like a new clot. So, I | | | | much smarter than any single patient, but is also |
| spent four hours in the ER. It's not a new clot, but | | | | smarter, or at least more comprehensive, than many |
| they don't know what it is and told me to talk to my | | | | physicians-even many medical specialists. |