HealthCare Social Media amplifies French physician grassroots movement

The "Doctors aren't stooges" movement in France (les médecins ne sont pas des pigeons) shows that French physicians have come a long way in using healthcare social media. You may recall that the French government had to give them financial incentives in the late '90's to acquire their first computer. 

And now, Dr Philippe Letertre, founder of the movement, has inspired an incredible result in barely two weeks. Please note that almost all of their traffic is from French healthcare professionals, their primary objective at this point in time.

• The initial open Facebook group launched October 8, 2012, had 37482 members today;
• the Facebook fanpage has 10657 fans.
• A Twitter account @medecinspigeons did its first Tweetchat with us (#health20fr) on October 22, 2012. 
• A website was launched on October 23, 2012: LesMedecinsNeSontPasDesPigeons.fr The site introduces the UFML, Union Française des Médecins Libres, or French Union of Free (in the sense of liberty) Doctors, a not for profit association in which the physicians can enroll in the association via PayPal.

That the emergence of this French grassroot physicians and surgeons movement could not have occurred without the help of Social Media should be food for thought for all of healthcare stakeholders...Some questions to healthcare organizations for example:

• Are you satisfied with your current web presence?
• What will you do if there is a major disruption in your communications landscape cia social media?
• Should you wait and see at present or  maybe encourage more dialogue at the present time?
• What is the risk of the status quo?