Coming from a family inherent to certain health conditions, I know it can be hard to offer support at times. I have seen loved ones suffer with symptoms and realize that at times, they just need to talk about what they are going through. Web 2.0 technologies are now becoming more and more engaged in the Health Care Industry. With such new technologies, patients now have more options in trying to deal with conditions. Sites like PatientsLikeMe.com offer options for patients to log on and connect with people who also may be going through or have gone through their certain medical condition. I think this is brilliant. I truly believe that mental support is irreplaceable when people encounter certain conditions like cancer, sepsis, etc. These conditions are life altering and the limited interaction with doctors sometimes is not enough. The site has various communities set-up around certain medical conditions. A patient can join a community just for social interaction, ask questions such as medical side effects, get opinions on health care facilities, or compare treatment options.
Sites like these are getting a lot of pushback from doctors. Doctors don’t believe patients should be sharing medical information. Some doctors even say its illegal...which I find ridiculous. Doctors are great and all but sometimes what they can offer may not be the entire picture. Additionally, it’s not like the doctor will sit and talk with you while you go through the serious side effects of receiving chemo. Sometimes it’s hard enough to get them on the phone to ask a question. Being able to log on and ask another cancer patient what treatment they are on and what they did to ease certain symptoms can be not only good know but comforting as the patient feels like they are not the only one going through this.
Another web 2.0 enabled site available to patients is HealthVault. This site allows users to store their health records online. So no you can get rid of those dusty files and go hi-tech. People can even sync their personal accounts to medical devices so data is entered automatically. For example, if you have one of those pedometers (devices that measure the distance you walk/run), you can log on and just plug in your device and the information is uploaded to your account. So this data along with meal information is used to help you stay healthy or lose a few pounds if need be. This site makes it easier for users to manage their personal info and make better decisions.
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