Hot off the press:

The Cleveland Clinic is piloting a project to work with Google’s technology venturing into use of personal health records. “Health 2.0” is the newest term being used to describe patient/consumer involvement in their own health care via the Internet. A few websites have been constructed to put the patient in charge of their own personal health record – strategy driving the new buzz word “consumer driven/directed health care.”

The Clinic currently has a program in place called MyChart where patients can view portions of their personal health record, request and cancel appointments, request prescription renewals, and notify changes of address/mail/phone/etc. It contains a record of health issues that have been released by their physician. The Google pilot involves about 10,000 MyChart users and will last about 6-8 weeks.

With this pilot project, the user will be able to link and transfer information from their MyChart to the Google record. Last October, Microsoft entered the market with their HealthVault web-based software, and other websites like WebMD also offer personal health records.

These records are not intended to be the one and only chart for a patient – just a way for patients to be more understanding and knowledgeable about the care they are receiving (at least that’s the aim). It’s a really interesting time because of course it brings up so many questions:

-          Security

-          Who can input/access information? 

-          Can data automatically be transferred from the physician to the patient’s personal record? 

-          HIPAA violations? 

-          Should Microsoft and Google be the ones who are starting this? Standardization? 

-          Will the patient enter correct information/omit information (accidentally/purposefully)?

The list goes on and on. Would you sign up for a personal health record online? Do you know of anyone who has? (I don’t). Other ideas of getting the public more involved in their health care and the idea of Health 2.0?

Christie 2/21

Another buzz word that ends with 2.0!!!!

Indeed, web 2.0 has broken down the barriers of institutionalism (institutional level) and professionalism (individual level) in many areas including the arts and the journalism and they have usually connoted positive meanings bringing the democracy to the area. However, when it comes to health, it really raises a lot of concerns.

Indeed, the internet became a notorious source that offers folk remedies which has not been proven enough.  My son has suffered from a mild form of atopic dermatitis so I have searched for information on the disease. As a result, I found a lot of misunderstandings of atopic dermatitis, which are sometimes very dangerous.

I usually don't like the term, "control" and I believe that it is impossible to control the users/creators in the Internet. However health may be one of the areas that have be controlled even in the Internet.

Woong Jo Chang   2/25/2008

 The endless opportunities (positive or negative) that Health 2.0 could offer was brought up in our Services Marketing class. There was talk about people being able to share information about treatment facilities at any hospital, provide feedback, advice, etc. I can see how helpful this could be to someone who is anxious going in for any treatment and wants to know more. I also understand the perils Health 2.0 poses that Woong pointed out; however, I must say I have always found helpful advice on health-related topics that I have looked up on the internet.

Two weeks back my roommate was suffering from Pneumonia. She had been to the medical center and was taking prescribed medicines but her fever hovered around 103-104°Celsius for a long time. We could not get across to anyone at the nurses helpline number and had to eventually search online for some home remedies or any advice that could help bring this under control. I guess in such situations it really feels good to be able to hear from others who have been in similar situations. It’s really amazing how dependent we are on the internet and the wealth of information that is out there.

 Darshana 2/25/2008