Health 2.0 Blog Intro

Health 2.0 emerged in 2006 as a platform for progressing healthcare into the web space.  Over the past 5 years the Health 2.0 movement has been called eHealth and eMedicine.  No matter what the term, there is an effort to bring medicine into the Web 2.0 age.  As defined by the Wall Street Journal, Health 2.0 can be best understood in the following.

“The social-networking revolution is coming to health care, at the same time that new Internet technologies and software programs are making it easier than ever for consumers to find timely, personalized health information online. Patients who once connected mainly through email discussion groups and chat rooms are building more sophisticated virtual communities that enable them to share information about treatment and coping and build a personal network of friends. At the same time, traditional Web sites that once offered cumbersome pages of static data are developing blogs, podcasts, and customized search engines to deliver the most relevant and timely information on health topics.”

Patients are searching in droves for health information on the internet.  According to a Pew Internet study, 80% of adult internet users have searched on-line for health information.  That translates into 59% of all adults in the US.  Its data like this that has supported the need for Health 2.0 innovation.  Patients are more proactive in their health and want to influence their health on-line.  Interactive health sites, patient monitoring sites, health games, and medical studies are sought after.  Patients are even looking for reviews and information about the best doctors in their area. 

Our blog will continue to provide information related to the adoption of online resources supporting the Health 2.0 movement.  This may or may not be related the cardiovascular medicine, but it is important nonetheless.  Our readers have a choice in their health and we aim to support their search for information and more participatory solutions.   

2 Comments

• Evan said on Jan 25 2012 at 5:47 PM

  I completely agree. The new age of medicine is bleeding over to the internet and with this technology, telehealth/telemedicine is on the rise. The growing population in this field are the elders who don't have the time and energy to go see a doctor.
  
  Finding a doctor on online has now been the go-to idea. And with the development of several video applications where patients can see their doctors or vice versa, it makes it that much easier.

• Best Program For Fitness said on Jan 27 2012 at 6:07 AM

  Interesting and informative post. Thank you for your effort. You put a nice twist to it.