Medicine + SNA

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-genomics-social-network-analysis-team.html

Prof. Tunnard mentioned the benefits of SNA in medicine.  This article exhibits that well, explaining how SNA, along with genome mapping, allowed the researchers to paint a more detailed picture of why people were getting sick. 

But what I really pulled from this article was the possible marriage of two different sectors- medicine and law enforcement.  Taking the information acquired through SNA, law enforcement officials can use it to track any ongoing drug rings- names, locations, links- and bust those rings.  Of course the beauty of doing an SNA in this particular instance is not only do you find out the basic info.  But almost always there is a person who acts as a bridge to several clusters.  If a SNA is done long enough, these clusters will start revealing themselves.  One could look at centrality measures (degree, closeness, betweenness) as well as what cliques exist.  Ego Networks would also be beneficial as one might be able to pinpoint who the head honcho is in a drug ring. 

Thus specifically, what I'm envisioning is when patients with a history of drug abuse come to the hospital, a simple questionnaire that allows the hospital to get the necessary info to do a SNA can be a requirement for the patients to fill out.  Once that is completed, the hospital can do a SNA.  If there is something suspicious, then the hospital could turn the information in to law enforcement officials who can then bust drug rings.  Of course this is in theory and there are other hurdles (primarily legal) that these sectors would have to overcome, but under certain circumstances and with due reason, it could be enough to overcome the hurdles.