A Few Thoughts on #HIT100

As many of you know, I’ve been working hard lately to keep the #HIT100 alive since I think the sharing of gratitude that happens with #HIT100 nominations is a phenomenal thing. For the most part, the good of the #HIT100 has outweighed the bad. As someone recently tweeted (sorry I couldn’t find the specific tweet), the kindness and appreciation that you see in the #HIT100 Twitter stream stands in stark contrast to much of what is happening in the world and on social media. That’s a beautiful thing and so I want as many people to pariticipate in sharing the great things happening in healthcare IT social media as possible. With that in mind, check out the details of the #HIT100 and participate.

While I think the #HIT100 provides so many good things, it’s sad that some in the #HIT100 community have had some bad experiences. Unfortunately, social media is a community and you can’t control it. However, what you can do is support those who get hurt, work to encourage the good side so that it far outweighs the bad, and encourage those that act inappropriately to change. I think Dr. Brian Stork’s tweet was an apt response to some of the negative experiences:

I see the #HIT100 as a way of giving a shout out to those I deeply respect ????
Perhaps everyone is taking the list itself a bit to serious?

— Dr. Brian Stork ???????? (@StorkBrian) July 9, 2017

One reason I think a lot of people take the #HIT100 too seriously is that rank has value even if it’s only perceived value. However, given the crowdsourced process of the #HIT100, your rank on the list shouldn’t matter much. Here’s what I wrote back in 2014 about it:

The list as a whole is quite interesting and a great way to discover new and interesting people in healthcare IT. However, specific rank on the list is meaningless to me since it can easily be gamed. For example, if you nominate a lot of other people, then you’re very likely to get reciprocal nominations and be at the top of the list. Not to mention, with just my own Health IT related Twitter accounts I could get someone to the top 50 if I’d wanted. Although, I didn’t.

Given this, I recently tweeted the following:

Those who try to game #hit100 nominations to be ranked higher are probably going to be sorely disappointed this year.

— John Lynn (@techguy) July 6, 2017

#hit100 rank doesn't matter. Realizing there are a community of people who truly appreciate you and discovering new people does. https://t.co/ZDlmdkw1mQ

— John Lynn (@techguy) July 6, 2017

I was serious about rank not mattering. I can’t choose what the rest of the community chooses to do, but my plan is to publish the top 100 accounts based on #HIT100 nominations but to publish them in a random order that hopefully will randomly resort every time you refresh the screen. Plus, I’ll be working to publish other lists like I’ve done in past years including Twitter accounts with only one #HIT100 nomination. All of this points to the idea that the list is great for social discovery. Not to mention all the gratitude and support that happens with each nomination.

I hate to see anyone on the #HIT100 getting hurt by the process. However, I hope the good that comes from it will far outweigh the bad. The best way I know how to make sure that’s the case is for all of us to share goodness with others during the #HIT100 nominations. What I find amazing about the process is the more good you share, the more goodness you’ll receive in return. Plus, that happens regardless of some easily gamed rank. Let’s all spread more good in the health IT social community and the world.