Since
this handout was submitted months before the date of the presentation, please
find the most up to date materials at:
A recent journal of the AMA article states:
“Access to
medical information via the Internet has the potential to speed the
transformation of the patient-physician relationship from that of physician
authority ministering advice and treatment to that of shared decision making
between patient and physician.”
The
use of the Internet for professionals involved in Wellness Promotion activities
has grown steadily since the early 1990’s.
The days of pure, facility based delivery of wellness and health promotion
services are over. There is a growing group of citizens who will expect to get
their information and interactions through an electronic medium.
Teams
of people who understand the expectations of the people they intend to serve
will staff the successful programs and those teams will have the vision and
skills needed to interact successfully in this new, electronic environment.
Years
ago Bill Gates talked about “Business at the Speed of Thought”. Imagine delivering wellness and health
promotion services at the speed of thought.
More and more people are getting used to finding goods and services on
line, 24X7. Providing the right information, at the right time, and in the
right format, will increase the likelihood of success.
Kemper
and Mettler have just released their new book, , Information Therapy: Prescribed Information
as a Reimbursable Medical Service. J. Edward Hill, MD, FAAFP, Chair, Board of
Trustees, American Medical Association has recognized the impact that this
concept has for the field of medicine.
He states, "Information Therapy's clearly identified
strategies will improve overall health as much as expensive pharmaceuticals and
new technologies. This remarkable book will have a profound impact on health
care access, quality, cost and outcomes."
Wellness and health promotion professionals can
learn much from the innovations of e-commerce. We must overcome the reluctance
to embrace automated compensation systems that can be merged with wellness and
health promotion delivery systems.
Wellness and health promotion services and
materials have value. Each provider will need to translate his or her unique
gifts into the modern medium. Digital
audio and visual content can be produced in little more time than it takes to
observe or speak. Examples of software that make such production include: Sound Forge, Adobe text, still, and video
products, FrontPage, and MacroMedia products such as DreamWeaver. The next
large wave of people is here. The
“Gen-Y” group will influence our society just as the “Boomers” have. Make sure
you are ready to meet their expectations for content and medium.