
I’m currently at the Health 2.0 conference, co-produced by my friend Matthew Holt. The conference is quite well-attended with a list of prominent speakers and innovators in the health arena.
The excitement and interest in this area is very encouraging to see. However, in order for this “movement” to really make a difference in how medical care is delivered, communicated about and provided, it will have to be connected to the social aspects of health.
Currently, I’m watching a lecture being delivered by Dr. David Brailer who led an effort to increase adoption of electronic medical records at the federal level for two years. He believes that technology is wonderful, but it won’t be effective unless we focus on the relationships between people. Health is an emotional, highly charged and confusing issue for many. Technology can provide great comfort and increase efficiency, but we must remember that it’s about people first, technology second. As an aside, John Grohol touched upon this issue a few weeks ago in a blog post he wrote criticizing the Health 2.0 movement.
It’s great to be here and I’ll be talking more about what I’ve learned at the conference in the weeks to come.
For a financially unbiased, scientifically balanced and thought provoking understanding of the Nutraceutical-Industrial complex:
www.nature.com/clpt/journal/v82/n4/full/6100354a.html
Regards,
M Ridinger, MD
Posted by: Anonymous | September 21, 2007 8:24 AM | Permalink to Comment