Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Web Secret #218: New Media Medicine

I have moved to a new home, and will be looking for all new physicians and allied health professionals close to my new location. All except for my internist, Joon Lee MD.

There are a number of reasons for this decision. First and foremost, in addition to her excellent training and knowledge, Dr. Lee is the only doctor I have ever seen who practices medicine in a collaborative manner. She is actually interested in what I think, and open to my feedback about her recommendations. She also is willing to tackle problems from multiple perspectives, including traditional Western medicine, as well as alternative therapies such as acupuncture. And she is an exemplar of New Media Medicine at its best.

New Media Medicine is a concept being extensively studied at MIT. To quote:
"The Internet has all but destroyed the information asymmetry, [between doctors and patients], but the inequality remains... We believe that people, working together in creative new ways, can succeed where the medical establishment has failed. As a society, we have dramatically underestimated the power of ordinary people to transform the system, to take care of their own health, to help develop therapies and to help solve massive public health problems. It’s time for a powershift in health care. We are pioneering new media technologies that will enable radical new collaborations between doctors, patients and communities, to catalyze a revolution in human health"
Now that I have moved, I will join Dr. Lee's patient portal. It will allow me to:
  • view my medical records
  • arrange for a telephonic or a video consultation
  • schedule an office appointment
  • send her a message
  • renew a prescription
If I need to travel to her office, I will. But at other times, I will be able to have a virtual consultation with her, which will save me time and money, and provide me with much more immediate care. Dr. Lee is practicing the medicine of the future - today. And beyond today - this is what's coming:

Count me in.

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