The Impact of Healthcare Networking on Healthcare Provision

Running head: the impact of health care networking on healthcare provision 1
A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF HEALTHCARE NETWORKING AMONG
PROFEESIONALS ON HEALTHCARE PROVISION
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The impact of health care networking on healthcare provision 2
INTRODUCTION
Networking is a procedure that cultivates the trading of information and thoughts among
people or social events that offer a typical interest. It can be for business or social purposes.
Health networking is the process of interactions among healthcare professionals to share ideas
and insights[12]. Networking can be social or professional. Networking is an important aspect in
the healthcare professional as it provides many benefits to the individuals involved and also
provides a platform for professionals to grow each other. This research paper seeks to explore the
various sites for healthcare professional networking, the benefits of networking and the likely
dangers of networking.
Sites for healthcare networking
There are several platforms that are used for networking among healthcare professionals.
These sites allow professionals to record and give a review of their finding, experiences and the
decisions they made regarding these situations, the results and give recommendations on how to
handle such a situation in future[1]. Such sites can be social networking tools, professional
networking tools, media sharing sites, content production, gatherings, or conferences. The sites
include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google Plus, YouTube, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, blogs and
micro blogs, annual professional gatherings, conferences, and training. These sites, if used
appropriately provide a powerful platform to address the ever-evolving health care needs [3].
Benefits of healthcare networking
A study by [2] showed that when looking for exhortation, people were all the more
firmly associated with partners in their own proficient groupings. Mapping this worldview to
healthcare can convey a very inventive correspondence stage for data sharing, checking and care

The impact of health care networking on healthcare provision 3
plan execution. Healthcare networking has proved to be beneficial to both the providers and
patients.
Through networking, individuals are able to make more evidence-informed decisions
when faced with a new or rare situation in their day to day practices. The information relayed to
them through the sites and direct interaction with fellow professionals gives them a basis for the
decision making process and the procedures and protocols to follow when making these
decisions. These ensure that patients receive best and informed care and also this furthers the
goals of the National Collaborating Centers for Public Health (NCCPHS) [7].
Networking also helps professionals gain more insight into their medical practice, new
ideas, and perspectives. This new knowledge helps one advance their care giving abilities and
keeps the professional’s knowledge relevant and up-to-date with the emerging trends and new
methods of administering healthcare [4]. This also enhances capacity development and a new
and relevant methodology for dealing with everyday challenges in the profession.
Through networking, professionals are able to gain knowledge on recent and advanced
research findings which guides them on new emerging issues in the medical department. Health
networking has the quality to impact medicinal services administrations conveyance and data
accessibility upheld by rising advancements in technology which track, assemble and measure
continuous real-time therapeutic information from patients [8].
Some of the sites for health care networking can be accessed even by patients. These
will help patients to understand their ailments and the likely procedures that can be conducted on
them and make decisions together with the health professional to meet their health goals [5].
These patients will understand the advantages and implications of various procedures and
medications and thus make an informed decision. This knowledge of the side effects will ensure