On November 1, 2012, 19 members of HealthSpace.Asia (HSA), a health-focused social media site, met in Beijing to find ways to deepen collaboration both on and offline. The informal get-together, timed to coincide with the Second Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, brought together core HSA members, including HSA Steering Committee members Piya Hanvoravongchai, Natalie Phaholyothin, Duc Anh Ha, and Hoang Van Minh. After introductions, members shared their research interests and experience with HSA. Ideas were then surfaced on how to maximize the collaborative potential of HSA as a platform for shared health-oriented activities. Among the ideas raised, members expressed interest in deepening the networking power of HSA and utilizing the platform for mentoring of young researchers. Participants also agreed to push HSA to publish a special issue of the Global Health Action Journal.

HSA aims to provide a virtual space for collaborative research and policy development in Asia. It builds on the productive relationships and networks formed during development of the Lancet Southeast Asia Series to bring together health professionals and health policy researchers focused on Asia. With funding support from China Medical Board, Rockefeller Foundation, IDRC, and Atlantic Philanthropies, HSA maintains a directory of events, scholarship and grants listings, job opportunities, and health policy and research-related news. It currently has over 1140 members.

For more information about Healthspace.Asia, or to become a HSA member, please visit the HSA Homepage.