Healthcare IT News Twitter followers remember Steve Jobs

From Ashton Kutcher to NASA, many are paying their respects on Twitter about the death of Steve Jobs. With over 12 different trending topics dedicated to the Apple co-founder, Twitter struggled to keep up with the news feed. Thousands of users reported seeing the "Fail Whale," a cartoon sperm whale that appears on the Twitter homepage when Twitter produces more messages than its server can handle. His crashing of Twitter can be seen as a kind of posthumous honor bestowed on Jobs -- a reflection of his impact on our global society.

We asked our Healthcare IT News Twitter followers how Jobs and his contributions to technology affected them and their organizations. In other words, where would we be without Steve Jobs

Twitter user jasonhiner mourns Jobs with an eye to the future. "100 years from now, people will still marvel at how Steve Jobs changed the world by humanizing technology."

"Steve Jobs' impact on personal hc is immeasurable" tweeted msaxolotl. "the tools (he) created supported patient empowerment #h2.0"

Many users on Twitter have been cataloguing quotes from the Apple guru. Not only was Jobs a magnificent entrepreneur, he was an inspiring speaker.

mletterle recounts Jobs' words on user interfaces. "You've got to start with the customer experience, and work backward to the technology – Steve Jobs 1997" he tweeted.

Docweighsin ties Jobs' career to the technology side of healthcare. "Ehealth, iHealth, and mHealth innovators - we have lost a leader. Steve Jobs is dead... long live Steve Jobs. #health" she tweeted Wednesday night after the official announcement.

Ryokea relates the loss of Jobs to the loss of cell biologist Ralph Steinman, who died just last month. "In the tech world," he started, "we lost Steve Jobs. In the medical world, we lost Ralph Steinman. Both of their innovations live on."

For some, the reality of those falling victim to cancer is brought to light. "So many scientists & medical professionals are educated & conduct research & treatment with tech," tweeted duckyislost. "Steve Jobs should have beat cancer."

"RIP Steve Jobs," reflected abir_sanyal. "A big sorry to the tech-harbinger from the whole Medical fraternity. We still don't have a 'confirmed' cure for all cancers."

One of the most recent and symbolic products proffered by Jobs is the iPad. It's one of several Apple technologies to make an impact in healthcare.

"If you've been to a hospital in the last 20 years, thank Apple & Steve Jobs," tweeted Grimagination. "Many hospitals use Apple tech in Radiology & 3D imaging."

Not only do medical professionals have Jobs to thank for that, but patients do as well.

Kyl3ighS tweeted that without Steve Jobs, she would never be able to Skype with her grandmother, who is in the hospital thousands of miles away. LovesKingKenny said that she is able to entertain herself lying in the hospital bed because of Steve Jobs.

"#ThankYouSteve for sharing the genius that make the countless hours my children spend in hospital rooms bearable. #iSad" tweeted mama2lmcj.

Patricia Salber, who writes for "The Doctor Weighs In" blog, wrote a post today on the death of Jobs. In it, she attributes Jobs to bringing the medical industry a new way of interacting with the world. " If it weren't for Steve Jobs, innovations in eHealth, iHealth, and mHealth probably would  not be possible," she wrote.

Commenter HealthInsurance replied to the post, adding the brilliance of the man, who had an extraordinary vision. "One of the things we have to consider is our health, as what they say 'health is wealth'" he commented.

One piece of information that has been trending on Twitter over the past 24 hours is the video from Jobs' 2005 Stanford University Commencement address in Palo Alto, California. In it, he pays tribute to individuality, stating:

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

Healthcare IT News Twitter follower mmacleanau tweeted the official video of the 2005 speech to us, to share with others interested in viewing. Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watchvUF8uR6Z6KLc

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