Archive for May, 2008

Healthcare and Emerging Rich Web Technologies

May 29, 2008

In this post on the European site, OBBeC, subtitled, “The WEB 2.0/Semantic Web Challenge and Opportunity
gives a good overview of Web 2.0 in health care. It describes both how social networking and semantic technologies are an opportunity and a caution for health care. He notes that adoption of these web technologies is slower than in other industries because “the care process is fundamentally more complex” in health care. There are the usual concerns about privacy but also health care’s dependence on a face-to-face process. The driving forces of Web  2.0 in health care are seen as the need to aggregate the volumes of information physicians must wade through and the “power patients” becoming more commonplace.

Three specific semantic technologies are noted:

  • semantic wikis
  • semantic blogs
  • semantic desktop

While there isn’t time to describe these here, it does show the potential for moving into the complex world of Web 3.0 to simplify our knowledge gathering and distribution.

The author cautions that these technologies could lead to “over reliance on external information, a process of disintermediation between patients and healthcare professionals and erosion of the patient-physician relationship.”

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Privacy 2.0

May 26, 2008

Fred Frotin on the World Healthcare Blog has introduced the concept of Privacy 2.0.  Privacy and confidentiality have been growing concerns for Web 2.0 in health care. The post, titled, “Coming to Health Care: The Challenge of Privacy 2.0″ He notes that “confidential information predominately resides today in slow moving, conservative institutions that dominate health care delivery.” Privacy 1.0 was focused on, “how to impose rules and sanctions regarding things like disclosure, notice, encryption etc.”

He asks, “Do we have to accept a diminished private space to gain the benefits of social media?” Will the technology of control enable a Privacy 2.0 or will a backlash by consumers overreach and squelch Health 2.0, Google Health and others?

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Google Health and More

May 20, 2008

Today in a webcast from the Googleplex, Google Health was opened to the public. All the features are now available to the U.S. at least. I participated in the pilot for the Cleveland Clinic as a participant in MyChart and found it easy to use, to import information and add more specifics. Now I can import my Google Health profile back into MyChart. Pretty cool. Also added the Walk for Good widget to my iGoogle home page. 100 users have signed up already.

This has already hit the tech and mainstream news outlets already with discussions about privacy, questions about Google’s motivation and benefits for consumers.

I think Google is adding some value here. There are making an effort to protect privacy while promoting health. And their partnerships indicate a desire to make this a broad umbrella for addressing health care issues.

I encourage you to try Google Health before making a quick judgement.

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Presentation by Anthony Williams, Co-Author of Wikinomics.

May 19, 2008

At a meeting earlier this month at Case Western Reserve University, I heard Williams speak at a conferenced called, Collaboration Technology and Campus Engagement. Much of his presentation on “Wikinomics and the future of education” was similar to what was presented in the book but additionally, he presented information about other projects his company has been involved in.

Worth watching – drink the Web 2.0 kool aid.

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Health 2.0 – Clinical Trials

May 15, 2008

A new way to search for clinical trials is now available through Emerging Med. Wrapping clinical trials information from the NIH with a set of tools and services, this new site offers a range of services. You can create a profile to be notified of clinical trials and utilize the matching system to get a referral for treatment. Phone support is also available. There are some good suggestions on when to search, for instance,

  • Just before a biopsy (to study tissue from a tumor)
  • Just before the first surgery or radiation treatment (neo-adjuvant studies)
  • Just after surgery or radiation treatment (adjuvant studies)

To protect privacy, they suggest that “Create a Patient Profile form can also be filled out anonymously”.
The service is now integrated into Revolution Health’s cancer pages. There was a recent article in the Wall Street Journal as well.  Perhaps utilizing this tool within the context of a broader set of tools such as Rev Health is a better route to go. But the set of services appear unique.

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Report on Two Conferences by Bill Crounse, MD, of Microsoft

May 12, 2008

In a recent post on the HealthBlog, Bill Crounse reports on the eHealth Canada conference and the Consumer Health conference providing an interesting contrast and comparisons. Both emphasized the consumerism movement in healthcare as is it exhibited through the Internet and new devices. At home medical testing and medical tourism are both parts of this growing trend.

It would be helpful if these conferences provide post-conference slides and podcasts but none have been posted yet.

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Podcast of Presentation at HIMSS 2008 on SOA

May 8, 2008

HIMSS just posted podcasts from the conference in Orlando. Scroll down and you will see mine:

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Web 2.0 and SOA

May 7, 2008

Is Service Oriented Architecture a subset of Web 2.0 or are they similar technologies with some overlap. According to and article in eWeek which reports on a presentation by Ben Flock, a Microsoft Healthcare & Life Sciences, at a recent Microsoft conference, ” Flock said Web 2.0 encompassed three basic categories: rich Internet applications developed with technologies like AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), Silverlight and Flash; SOA (service-oriented architectures) such as Web services, RSS feeds and mashups; and the social Web, built of wikis, blogs, podcasts and social networking sites.”

I view Web 2.0 and SOA as overlapping technologies.

Also in reporting on the presentation, Flock said, “Web 2.0 has made it much easier for consumers to find trusted sources of information quickly and to use that information to better their health and the care they receive.” This is a basic premise of Health 2.0, particularly of vertical search engines.

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Future of PHRs

May 6, 2008

The editor of Health Data Management has written an editorial piece on “PHRs: Where Are We Headed?” Because of a variety of products and uneven adoption, he wonders “whether PHRs ultimately will prove to be a passing fad or a ubiquitous technology.” He does note that PHRs are probably most effective for the chronically ill who will use them regularly to manage their conditions. He discusses extensively the privacy issue and the fact that many PHRs are not provided by HIPAA covered entities including Google and Microsoft. He quotes several leaders in the field including Holly Miller, MD of University Hospitals of Cleveland and the chair of HIMSS PHR committee on the use of tethered PHRs and the need for an interoperable model that allows patients to pull information from multiple providers.

The article certainly covers the confusing state of PHRs well but lacks a concluding recommendation. Maybe its difficult to make a recommendation or point a direction with some much activity and so little market consolidation or even consolidation of opinion. Let’s hope some of this is sorted out soon so that consumers, providers and employers can reap more of the promise of PHRs.

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