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In the past, a patient trying to research a diagnosis on his own usually spent hours at the library trying to locate reference books, scanned through medical journals hoping to find a related article, and finally enlisted the help of his best friend’s cousin’s brother who’s a doctor to help try and make sense of anything he may have been able to find.

Since the 1990’s, though, the internet has brought the library, the medical journals, and even the doctor directly into his home.  With infinite variations for searching, sorting, and saving information, researching a diagnosis, medication, or procedure is easier than ever.  We even have a new name for it – Health 2.0.

Although the methods might be new, the patient is the same.  He is taking control of his health.  She is being proactive about the wellbeing of her family.  The average consumer has greater access to healthcare information now than at any other time in history.  The medical knowledge once reserved for the privileged few who could complete years of college is now available online, anytime, and to anyone with a modem and a mouse.

And those in the know appear happy to share.  Although healthcare information has always been common internet fodder, over the past few years, there has been a surge in the number of new websites devoted to helping patients find more accurate and disease-specific information.

The sponsors of these websites run the gamut from patient advocacy groups to marketing and pharmaceutical companies.  Certainly, many of the online resources available are sites which offer informational content; but recently, conversation sites, called blogs, have experienced a wave of popularity.  Oftentimes, patients setup a blog to initiate dialogue for a rare condition or obscure set of symptoms in hopes of reaching out to others similarly afflicted or of gaining the attention of caregivers who can share advice or resources.

What started out as a grass-roots movement among neighbors and colleagues to help each other through the exchange of information has recently turned into big business.  These days, it seems everyone has a stake in making sure patients have access to healthcare information.  As manufactures and marketers have begun to realize, Health 2.0 is not merely a network of support groups, but also a way of reaching both consumers and their prescribing physicians.

As patients learn more about disease prevention and treatment, they also gain awareness of symptoms for themselves and loved ones, and the confidence to ask questions of their doctors and other caregivers.  So, whether health information is provided strictly as a means to educate or as a gateway to reach consumers, patients and their families are the ultimate beneficiaries of these online resources. 

 ©aiaTranslations 2009

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