An intriguing use of Twitter, it’s also an innovative way to alleviate fear of the unknown, educating individuals on various procedures by sharing what happens behind closed doors. The medical team can answer questions in real-time, making a great teaching tool for medical students and the general public.

Here’s a look at how surgeons walked medical students (and curious onlookers) through a double-knee replacement surgery, via Twitter last year.

Do you think tweeting belongs in the operating room?

I recently came across an article listing “Five Social Media Lessons from the Haiti Earthquake Relief Effort.” The one that really struck a chord with me was this:

Online participants did more than just give money.

Yes, they texted a donation to the Red Cross. But they wanted to do more. The healthcare industry, the public sector, and affected individuals everywhere harnessed technology (including their mobile devices) to help Haiti. Crisis camps were created through social media. Crowdsourcing brought strangers together to aid in searches, coordinate donations, even make clothes for victims. Such efforts led to projects like Open Solace Haiti, which is working on rebuilding Haiti’s independent channels of communication.

This movement from good intentions to (on-the-ground) action amazes me. I hope we’ll continue to harness technology to ignite passion and support as Haiti begins to rebuild.