Wendy Sue Swanson Explained

Wendy Sue Swanson
Birth Place:Minnesota, United States
Alma Mater:University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Occupation:Pediatrician, writer, spokesperson
Known For:Seattle Mama Doc blog
Children:Two sons
Awards:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Childhood Immunization Champion 2012

Wendy Sue Swanson (born 1974) is an American pediatrician, educator and author, known for her Seattle Mama Doc blog.

As a doctor and a mother, Swanson advocates the use of online tools, such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, to strengthen communication between healthcare providers and patients. Swanson asserts that online technologies can assist patients and families in becoming stewards of their own health.[1] Swanson has dedicated her career to helping physicians learn to use online tools more effectively in helping patients make informed decisions based in science. "While we don't have the capability just yet," Swanson states, "my goal is to prove that an empowered and informed patient reduces health care costs and improves outcomes."

Education and training

Swanson was born and raised in Minnesota.

She attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where, in 1996,[2] she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.[3]

For two years, she taught bilingual science and math to middle school children in Oakland, California, with Teach for America. With this experience, Swanson developed an interest in working with youths.

She went on to earn a medical degree and Master of Bioethics (MBE) degrees from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Swanson completed her pediatric residency training at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle, Washington. She completed her training in 2006.[4]

Swanson began her medical career at the Everett Clinic in Mill Creek, Washington,.[5]

In 2009, Swanson started the Seattle Mama Doc blog for Seattle Children's Hospital.[6] [7]

In January 2011, Swanson was named to the Mayo Clinic's Center for Social Media Advisory Board. The goal of the board is to help the health care community "improve care through the use of social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.[8] [9]

Swanson is an official spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a member of the Board of Advisors for Parents Magazine,[10] and blogs for The Huffington Post.[11] She has also appeared on The Today Show.[12]

Conferences and keynote speeches

With the popularity of Swanson's blog, as well as her activism in improving physician use of social media, came invitations to speak at health care conferences within the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands.

Seattle Mama Doc blog

On November 11, 2009, Seattle Children's Hospital became the first major children's hospital to host a pediatrician-authored blog. Swanson, now known as the "Seattle Mama Doc," wanted the blog to be an online science-based resource for parents.[20] In her blog posts, Swanson offers general health and safety tips, discusses issues in the media like HPV,[21] vaccinations, sudden infant death syndrome, car seats, and trends in breast-feeding,[22] and shares her own experiences as a parent.[23] "The abundance of online noise invokes fear in all of us when making decisions for our children," said Swanson. "At the end of the day, we as parents just want to do what is right."

Swanson is a proponent of vaccinations, which reduce the risk of contracting diseases like whooping cough, polio and measles.[24] Her interest in social media stems, in part, from a desire to counteract misinformation reported in popular media about the safety of childhood immunizations and other health concerns promoted by people like Jenny McCarthy, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Alicia Stone.[25] [26] [27] "I feel physicians are obligated to be online," Swanson told reporter Carol M. Rostrum. "If celebrities are going to be online, then we educated, practicing physicians had better be there, too."

Swanson uses Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Doximity, and YouTube to educate and inform parents and her adolescent patients.[28] Her goal is to create a non-threatening environment in which to talk about health findings and empower families. She refers patients to peer-reviewed medical information found on sites like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.[29]

In 2013, Seattle Mama Doc was named as one of Times "Best Twitter Feeds of 2013".[30]

In October 2019, Seattle Mama Doc came to an end as Swanson moved with her family to Wisconsin.[31]

Mama Doc Medicine

Swanson's book, Mama Doc Medicine: Finding Calm and Confidence in Parenting, Child Health, and Work-Life Balance, was published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in March 2014. The book is organized in four sections: Prevention, Social-Emotional Support, Immunizations, and Work-Life Balance/Mothering.[32] [33] Swanson offers tips and information on a variety of topics from car seats, sunblock, immunizations, fussy babies and tantrums, to emotional support and work-life balance. She also provides reputable online resources for readers wishing to seek further information on the topics covered in the book.

In April 2014, Swanson was a guest on Katie Couric's talk show to discuss her book and share parenting tips.

Virtual Handshake

Swanson's first technological project to be put into practice, the Virtual Handshake, was developed by the innovation group, Digital Health. The group, led by Swanson, studies current social tools and media and then works to develop new tools for physicians and patients. With Virtual Handshake, patients preparing for a doctor's appointment can access curated health information (e.g., PDFs, videos, links and other content) in a HIPAA-compliant encrypted space.

Personal life

Swanson resides in Wisconsin with her husband, also a physician,[34] [31] and two sons. She has two sons, aged 10 and 12.

Awards

Books

Selected articles

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Marcus. Mary Brophy. Decline of antibiotic use among kids seems to be leveling off: study. April 1, 2015. HealthDay. February 4, 2014.
  2. Web site: Class of 1996. Kenyon College. March 27, 2015.
  3. News: Media-savvy 'Mama Doc' authors parenting manual. March 27, 2015. The Herald of Everett Washington. Heraldnet.com. February 4, 2014.
  4. Web site: Topol. Eric J.. Topol, Mama Doc on Social Media's Power, Vaccines and Disease Prevention. Medscape.com. WebMD LLC. April 1, 2015. March 17, 2015.
  5. News: Anonymous. A Tale of Two Lives: Pediatrician mom blogs about parenthood, child health issues and breaking health news: Seattle Children's Hospital launches 'Seattle Mama Doc' blog. March 27, 2015. PR News Wire. January 11, 2010. New York.
  6. News: Two national experts highlight Idaho's immunization conferences. March 27, 2015. Targeted News Service. April 18, 2012. Washington, D.C..
  7. Web site: In the News. Seattle Children's. Seattle Children's Hospital. April 15, 2015.
  8. News: Haugen. Dan. Mayo Clinic names 17 members to social media advisory board. March 27, 2015. MedCity News. January 26, 2011.
  9. News: Haugen. Dan. Mayo Clinic names 17 members to social media advisory board. . January 26, 2011. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  10. Web site: Ask Our Experts: Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson. Parents.com. Meredith Corporation. April 2, 2015.
  11. Web site: Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP. . April 15, 2015.
  12. Web site: What NOT to do when your child is sick. . April 15, 2015. March 13, 2014.
  13. News: Social media residency caps social media week at Mayo Clinic. Targeted News Service. September 13, 2011. Washington, D.C..
  14. News: Vaccination Conference Set at I.F. on Tuesday. Idaho State Journal. April 21, 2012. Pocatello, Idaho. A.7.
  15. News: Seattle Children's Research Institute Hosts 'Eight Annual Pediatric Bioethics Conference' on July 27 and 28. Target News Service. February 6, 2012. Washington, D.C..
  16. Web site: Masterclass on Physician Online Identity. Stanford Medicine X. Stanford University. April 15, 2015. September 6, 2014.
  17. Web site: The 11th National Conference on Immunization and Health Coalitions. Association of Immunization Managers. April 15, 2015.
  18. News: The father of modern business strategy, Michael E. Porter opens the first day of HealthAchieve 2014. April 1, 2015. Canada Newswire. November 3, 2014. Ottawa, Canada.
  19. Web site: Cerner Health Conference 2014: Featured Speakers. Cerner.com. Cerner Corporation. April 15, 2015. November 2, 2014.
  20. News: Beyond the waiting room. National Post. September 2, 2013. Don Mills, Ontario.
  21. News: McCabe. Caitlin. Federal goal is to vaccinate 80% of boys and girls against HPV by 2020; despite rising oral-cancer rates in men, many parents don't see the risk of sexually transmitted disease to 11-year-olds. . November 10, 2014.
  22. News: Rostrum. Carol M.. Your doctor as a Facebook 'friend'?: More physicians find social media is key to patient care. Daily Press. September 15, 2012. Newport News, Virginia. C.1.
  23. News: Szabo. Liz. Moms judge one another?. The Courier. May 25, 2010. Houma, Louisiana.
  24. News: Hughes. Marni. Parents continue to question the health risks of vaccines. McClatchy-Tribune Business News. November 30, 2011. Washington.
  25. News: Versel. Neil. Feature Story: Live from HIMSS12:ICD-10, Meaningful Use and Social Media. M2 Prewire. Normans Media Ltd. February 23, 2012. Coventry, United Kingdom.
  26. News: Sohn. Emily. Mind & Body: star parenting; nursing 3 1/2 year olds? Eating placenta pills? Celebrities go to extremes. Los Angeles Times. May 12, 2012. E.6.
  27. News: Szabo. Liz. McCarthy's views about vaccines come into 'View': Critics concerned she will use co-hosting gig to spread fears of autism. April 1, 2015. July 16, 2013. D.2.
  28. News: Hoffman. Jan. Technology that involves teenagers in their health. The New York Times. late edition . October 9, 2012 . D.3.
  29. News: Netburn. Deborah. How to find the best medical information online. March 31, 2015. Los Angeles Times. January 17, 2013.
  30. News: Seattle's 'Mama Doc' to appear on 'Katie'. April 1, 2015. The Herald of Everett, Washington. Heraldnet.com. July 22, 2014.
  31. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Thank you, and a Look Ahead. Seattle Mama Doc. January 2, 2020. October 7, 2019.
  32. Springen. Karen. Mama Doc Medicine: Finding Calm and Confidence in Parenting, Child Health, and Work-Life Balance. Literature Resource Center. March 1, 2014. 110. 13. 10.
  33. Mama Doc Medicine: Finding Calm and Confidence in Parenting, Child Health, and Work-Life Balance. Publishers Weekly. January 20, 2014. 261. 3. 48.
  34. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Why are patients not finding their doctors online?. TedXNijmegen. April 4, 2015. April 8, 2013.
  35. Web site: Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson: 2014 Healthcare Internet Hall of Fame Innovative Individual Inductee. Healthcare Internet Hall of Fame. March 27, 2015.
  36. News: Cowles. Stacey. Caldwell. Bert. Crooks. Gary. Social media effective tool for medical community. March 27, 2015. The Spokesman-Review. May 2, 2012. A.13.
  37. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Why Boring Is Best: Un-Decorating Your Baby's Crib. . April 15, 2015. December 4, 2014.
  38. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Pot in Your Pantry? Marijuana Use in Toddlers and Teens. . April 15, 2015. October 20, 2014.
  39. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Ouchless Flu in 2014-2015: Nasal Flu Spray Recommended for Young Children. . April 15, 2015. October 1, 2014.
  40. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. LuluLemon's False Claim is a Slap in the Face. . April 15, 2015. July 18, 2014.
  41. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. You Mamas Taking Iodine?. . April 15, 2015. June 23, 2014.
  42. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. What's Your Strategy for Keeping Your Kids Alive in the Car?. . April 15, 2015. May 5, 2014.
  43. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. How to Talk to Your Kids About Justin Bieber's Arrest. . April 15, 2015. January 24, 2014.
  44. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. The Problem with Friday Night Tykes. . April 15, 2015. January 19, 2014.
  45. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. 2013-2014 Flu is Here. . April 15, 2015. January 10, 2014.
  46. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Left to Chance with the iPotty. The Huffington Post . April 15, 2015. December 11, 2013.
  47. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Smokeout. . April 15, 2015. November 22, 2013.
  48. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. PG-13 Movies: More Guns. . April 15, 2015. November 11, 2013.
  49. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Buying Breast Milk Online. . April 15, 2015. October 24, 2013.
  50. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Consistency May Be the 'Secret Sauce'. . April 15, 2015. October 21, 2013.
  51. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. Talking to a Canadian Cabbie Gave Me Insight on Healthcare. . April 15, 2015. October 3, 2013.
  52. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. An Annual Interview: 20 Questions. . April 15, 2015. September 24, 2013.
  53. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. It's Time for Flu Shots. . April 15, 2015. September 12, 2013.
  54. Web site: Swanson. Wendy Sue. I Love Being a Working Mom. . April 15, 2015. April 25, 2013.

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