To Blog or Not To Blog

     There's no question about it. Blogging has become a communication phenomenon. In December 2007, blog search engine Technorati tracked more than 112 million blogs worldwide. That's a lot of blogs. For the uninitiated, a blog, or Web log, is essentially a personal website where someone shares their thoughts on anything and everything, and like any other profession, EMS has its fair share of bloggers.

     In the March 2007 issue of EMS Magazine, Editorial Advisory Board Member Matthew Streger wrote about the potential perils associated with blog postings. His column focused on what EMS managers should do when implementing policies regarding employee online postings on private websites. At the other end of the scale, if you are an EMS provider looking to start a blog, there are several questions you need to answer before you start typing.

     EMS author Peter Canning, who is featured this month in our new section that debuted in the August issue titled EMS Blogspot on page 26, made certain his employers knew he was writing a blog and emphasized to them that he valued his job and was open to any changes or suggestions to prevent any problems. He also took great strides to protect patient confidentiality, changing identifying details, as well as using a randomized method of selecting sex and age to further obscure any cases that might be known to the public.

     "I think it would be very difficult to write an EMS blog in a small town with a low call volume and still protect confidentiality," says Canning. "The greater the population you serve, the easier it is to safely write about a call."

     Photos are another tricky area and Canning advises folks to always check with their agency before posting any images.

     As for why you should blog, Canning says: "Write to elevate what we do. Write to elevate the spirit you have seen in people you have cared for—in their worst and best moments. Use your writing to try to understand the world, not to condemn it. Share your victories, your defeats, your frustrations and your hopes."

     For more from Peter Canning, visit www.medicscribe.blogspot.com. In the meantime, we would like to know which EMS blogs are inspiring you. E-mail nancy.perry@cygnusb2b.com.