Sermo

WWW.Sermo.com is a website that has been up for about nine months. Sermo means conversation in latin, and is meant to be an online version of the doctor's lounge. I've been on it for a few months, and have enjoyed it. Not only have I been able to offer up a few cases and get some feedback, but I have been able to comment on cases others have brought up. This is something I have missed. I'm an ER doc in a few smaller cities, and for the most part, I'm pretty much the only doctor around. Sometimes during the day, there are a few others during lunch, and someone is always available for a consultation, but it is different that just having someone to bounce ideas around with in a casual atmosphere. I generally log on a few times a week (or more!) and take in the newest posts, then follow up on some of the more interesting posts I've commented on recently. In addition, I like to share interesting cases or observations.
Sermo makes money at this time by allowing financial clients to observe these conversations, and to occasionally create posts of their own. For now, this has been fairly unobtrusive. It is interesting though. Apparently there is a huge market on doc's opinions of certain drugs- which will be taken off market, what will be approved, etc, and stock decisions etc are made accordingly. There is some discussion to allow pharmaceutical clients access, but it remains to be seen how this will happen.