Steve Case Gets A Familiar Competitor In Online Health Space

from the two-to-the-revolution dept

AOL founder Steve Case has high ambitions for his newly launched consumer health site Revolution Health, but at least at this point, it's not living up to its name. There's a lot of content there, but nothing that looks particularly groundbreaking. Now Microsoft is said to be nearing the launch of its own consumer health portal, and again, it's hoped that the site will bring about a new level of ease and efficiency to this highly complex area. But it's not clear that Microsoft has what it takes to crack the nut, so to speak. Like Revolution Health, it wants to make progress on electronic medical records, but there's little reason to think that Microsoft is in the best position to do this. Other planned services, like medical information search, have been around for a while with little usefulness. It's great that so many well-heeled companies are trying their hands at this, but there's not much reason to be optimistic.
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  1. identicon
    Overcast, 29 Jun 2007 @ 10:54am

    Seems like a good idea, but they really need to partner with a 'professional' business in the health care industry.

    Or somehow open it up to professionals.

    I mean - it's not a bad OS, but it's hard to trust these companies with my computer, much less my health, hehe.

    In all honesty I just google search for health matters. And will review multiple posts/articles on the issue. Places such as the Mayo health clinic and the like are the one's I tend to trust more. But consensus is certainly a factor in personal medical research.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Brant Williams, 29 Jun 2007 @ 10:56am

    Missing the point

    IMHO, both MS and Revolution are missing the point. In order to effect change within our health system, we need to step beyond the re-active approach to disease, symptoms and risk... We need to get ahead of the curve and begin with the human being making a change for their own life. This can't be done with medical record libraries - or health risk assessments. The right solution MUST resonate with the human being, and be adaptable so that person can make changes in a way that works for them. So far, the closest thing out there is Limeade (www.limeade.com), but otherwise people are taking the same approach that has proven on every front not to work.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    GoblinJuice, 29 Jun 2007 @ 12:12pm

    Little secret....

    Whenever someone uses the word "revolution", RUN!

    It's either a scam (same shit, new packaging) or - in the rare circumstance - something so disruptive and bloody that no one will want to be remembered for having taken part in it. =)

    Here's the deal: if you're on a health site, chances are you're looking for information re: those strange bumps on your junk (you know, the ones that appeared after you got drunk and dragged home a doublebagger??). Don't self-diagnose, go see a doctor. ;)

    link to this | view in thread ]


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