Recently, I came across a pretty cool website called imedo.de, which is a German Web 2.0 platform for people that want to share information on medical issues. I believe it is a quite fascinating and ambitious project that I expect to proove very valuable in the future. As Web 2.0 gets more professional, the argument that the “holy grail” of medicine should not be subject of discussions on the Internet is no longer valid.
Following I will discuss some of my thoughts about the concept.
The Pros
- Current trends (see for instance Allensbach research) propose that in the near future user reviews on the Internet will be far more valuable compared to traditional reviews in print media or on TV. Why bother consulting your local pharmacist and skimming through dozens of healthcare brochures, if you can simply ask the community? Searching for a specific doctor or expert, evaluating a treatment, or simply acquiring information on how to prevent disease are fantastic features.
- Furthermore the concept can be monetized. For instance there could be charges, if you are a doctor or pharmacy and want to have a premium account on the platform. You could even go as far as giving “chat consultations” on the platform or receiving SMS notifications on doctor appointments or treatments (e.g.: drug intake). Also, there is room for a possible cooperation with an online pharmacy or you could even enable your clients to sell items on their profiles.
The Obsctacles to overcome
- The most feasible clients (>60 years old) are mostly not as acquainted with the Internet or the Web 2.0. At GetYourGuide we have made similar experiences, as many guides and tour operators fall into the same category. However, we believe that this problem is only a question of time…
- Are people really ready to share medical information online? Although Google also launched a service, where users can upload medical records, the US should not be taken for Germany when it comes to data security. A critical question will be on how Imedo will be able to convince the rather Internet averse doctors and pharmacists to join their service. There will have to be thorough incentive programs and definitely the site should concentrate on building rigorous quality & privacy ensuring mechanisms.
Although there is still a good way to go for imedo, I am looking forward to see how their services develop and what the key functions will proove to be.
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Dear GetYourGuide.com-Team,
thanks for your review and feedback. You really tracked some of the main issues and challenges we have been working on since our start.
We are already having mechanisms you mentioned. Of course, we are working hard every day to improve and offer our users even better services and security every day!
I wish you all the best for your startup!
Christian (imedo-founder)