What is adenoma? Give me a second…

Whether it is a function of less access to primary care physicians or the importance of the always-burgeoning internet…Web 2.0 has hit health care. Actually, this post is pretty late to the party…

What is Health 2.0? Go here. Some examples: iMedix, RevoultionHealth, Medstory, Healia, Xoova, Organized Wisdom, and (less 2.0 than the others) the industry’s gray lady: WebMD.

Its impact, I feel, to this point has been muted. But its time is coming. What will be the impact of Health 2.0 on health systems?

Hospitals will have to take into account the impact of these websites on the delivery of care. It is this notion of the
patient as a partner in the deliverance of care. Obviously it is the way it should be–patients participating in tandem with their providers.

But there are some consequences. With added knowledgeable in tow, more questions will be asked as patients feel better informed, which will increase the likelihood of lengthier conversations with providers. All good. But providers will need to spend more time with patients (like more than five minutes) and that means patient throughput will decrease. Given the current state of reimbursement in this country where we reward for more care, not better care, providers may not be able to see as many patients in the same amount of time.

Health 2.0 means changes for hospitals and providers, can we explore what some of them are?

BTW: adenoma.