Healthcare Meets Web 2.0

ZeFrank posted a link on his blog this week that outlined a huge leap in how Web 2.0 ideas can be used for real world situations. He showcased a medical practice that functions solely via a combination of house calls and online tools, that of Jay Parkinson, MD. At first I thought it was a joke, but it seems it is not only real, but a working idea.

I went over to Parkinson's web site to check out what he had to say. He has taken a mixture of Web 2.0 ideas like the look and feel of his site, the simple navigation and a direct approach to his mission statement and combined it with a medical practice that make house calls and does Internet consultations. At first it is a bit disconcerting, but as you read you slowly begin to think his idea could really catch on.

How many illnesses could a doctor catch early on if they were able to see where you live and work? By bringing back house calls, the doctor is able to put your complaints and ailments in a context and better help you. They are able to more quickly pinpoint the difference between an environmental or allergy issue and a potential disease or malady. This does a lot to streamline healthcare.

House calls with internet follow up visits and internet based consultations also eliminate some of the cost of health care. It is much more cost effective to follow up online in a video chat with your doctor than it would be to go to the office for your test results. Being accessible online also taps into the market of people who have no desire to go to a doctor's office, and so avoid seeking medical care when they need it out of fear or scheduling problems.

Whether Jay Parkinson, MD is a good doctor or not, I have no idea, and therein lies the potential drawback for Medicine Web 2.0 style - how do you differentiate the good medical practitioners from scam artists? If you are a smart shopper you will know to check their credentials before you trust them with your home address and health care. Unfortunately, as evidenced by the continued proliferation of Nigerian bank scams and fake PayPal phishmails not everyone is that savvy about protecting themselves online.

I can see both sides of the issue on this one. I'd love to be able to consult an actual doctor who knows me about my health questions online in real time, instead of relying on uninformative sites like WebMD to give me canned answers that don't address the issue. I'd also love to not have to set foot in a doctor's office again, or at least only rarely. Unfortunately, without some kind of verification process, I don't see this idea taking off just yet, in spite of all the good it would do to cut health care costs and bring health care to people who don't normally seek it out.