title: Methods for using microblogs for health communication with a pharmacist-based account.
abstract: To implement and assess the effectiveness of using microblogging for health communication with a pharmacist-based account.
  
  
  
  We created a private and public "iPharmacist" account on the Weibo microblogging platform using the "Brief, Evidence-based, Ethical, and Plain-language (BEEP)" principle to post messages and to interact with patients. From November 2012 to November 2013, a content analysis was performed of the original microposts by iPharmacist, as well as original messages directed to iPharmacist by other accounts, and private messages received by iPharmacist.
  
  
  
  A total of 598 original messages were posted by iPharmacist, which were reposted 34442 times with 6013 comments received; while 310 messages were posted by other Weibo users directed to the iPharmacist alone with 131 private messages.
  
  
  
  The use of iPharmacist account allowed the provision of quality microposts to educate the Chinese public. The public messages were well disseminated.
  
  
  
  Microblogging could be an effective tool for patient education and health communication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Tiansheng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Duke University Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Roy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pleasants
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: shilu@bjmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Luwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D057218:Blogging; D058015:Health Communication; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists
keywords: Communication; Microblog; Patient education; Pharmacist