Consumer tools: Really Personal PHRs

"If we're committed to fostering the adoption of personal health records, we should take a page out of the consumer marketing textbooks — not the primers of health IT marketers. This was my conclusion after attending a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Markle Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Agency for Healthcare Quality Research and Quality. " Read more about this at iHealthBeat .

Consumer trends: Manhattan Predicts Online Health Trends

"US healthcare specialist Manhattan Research has published a summary of the major trends for health and pharmaceutical marketers to consider in 2006. The trends chart the increased use of the web and other new technologies as a health information and communication tool for both patients and physicians." Read more at Daily Research News Online.

News: Wall Street Journal Looks at Tools That Identify Low-Cost Care Options

"The Wall Street Journal on Thursday looked at efforts by insurers to provide patients with tools - including a cell phone Web browsing service - to help them find low-cost treatment options. Lumenos, a unit of WellPoint, in February will launch the cell phone service, which lets patients type drug names into their cell phones' Web browsers and get lists of lower-cost alternatives. The program is designed so that patients can ask their physicians about cost-effective alternatives while they still are at their appointments." Read more at iHealthBeat.

News: Healthline Adds $14 Million to its coffers in its second life

"The San Francisco-based company had already raised $24 million in the months following its transformation from InterMap Systems, a company providing health information to medical enterprises, to Healthline Networks, a consumer-focused site, in July.
Healthline debuted during October (see Health Search Engine Debuts) as a destination site for those looking for information on health. It wants to differentiate itself from other sites by having medical experts review the news, articles, and health information it serves up in response to a query." Read more at RED HERRING.

Consumer tools: Consumer Health Complete Now Available from EBSCO Publishing

"In continuing with the company's goal of providing the most comprehensive collection of online health and wellness resources, EBSCO Publishing has announced the release of Consumer Health Complete (CHC). This full text database is designed to support consumer and patients' information needs as well as foster an overall
understanding of health-related topics." Read more at Managing Information News.

Article: Americans do want some nationalized care

"Five years ago, St. Luke's Health Initiatives sponsored a conference to discuss the question: 'Is employer-based health insurance obsolete?'A panel of national experts concluded that although it wasn't obsolete, it definitely was in trouble. They disagreed whether employer-based health insurance needed a strong dose of market-driven discipline to encourage direct consumer involvement in purchasing their own health services, or whether it should gradually be replaced by a single national system that provides basic medical services to everybody." Read more at AZCentral.

Consumer guidelines: Know your rights before joining health club

Consumer: I've decided to join a health club. What do I need to know about choosing a club and signing a membership? Problems with health clubs used to be a significant concern in the some states in USA. Get to know your rights before you sign up for any at The Columbian Business.

News: 'changed vision' in Australian Health e-records

THE federal Government must hose down consumer expectations about electronic health records in the wake of its "changed vision" for HealthConnect, the lead implementation team has warned. HealthConnect Tasmania said there was a high level of participation in state-based trials and consumers were expecting such a system to be available fairly soon. "Now the EHR will not be developed in the short term and instead HealthConnect is focusing on point-to-point messaging between providers, and ensuring that systems migrate to a common set of national standards over the next 12 to 18 months," it said. Read more at Australian IT.