Social network and health research are merged with the launch of Imedix. This social network site is easy to use and aimed at providing answers to health questions from people. This site is easy to sign up with. Although they have an option for your birth date it is not a required field.

Now , please note that you can also upload your real picture or an avatar. Yet it was quite surprising to see how many people have the face book influence and post their real pictures. Things are really changing online.

Members have a choice with tags that say:

• talk to me
•  I’m interested
•  learning more
• Happy to share my experience
• Please share your wisdom with me
• I’m all ears

You do not need to be a member to search for a health related topic. The responses are results of internet searches as well as an option to ask for someone to respond to your inquiry and chat online. How much do you share of your private info? I don’t know and that could be a concern. However, I tend to think that when you want to get answers for medical issues related to yourself or family members most of your caution goes out of the window.

I recall years ago enrolling in a group that was related to a surgical procedure I was scheduled to have. It was great! Wonderful people, and I got super help. Yet, when I googled my name later that group was the first to pop up for years.

This site is in Beta which means it is still new and working out the bugs. But I must say it looks just great and is, I truly believe, going to and is , helping a lot of people. In this age of reduced focus on prevention reduced time in patient education I applaud a site like this. It is not focused on fun and friends but a way to help us to enjoy fun and friends a while longer.

It is my hope that more and more agencies will begin to use social networking as a means of delivering essential health information to people in a venue that will work for a diverse population. I want this site to work!

Rosie