Physicians increasingly are turning to Web 2.0 tools -- such as social networking Web sites, blogs, podcasts and specialized search engines -- to communicate with patients, industry stakeholders and other health care providers, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal reports.
Edward Fotsch -- CEO of Medem, a provider of Web-based services to 70,000 physicians nationwide -- predicts that as phone and video communications are integrated, Web-based medical visits will eventually replace in-person office visits.
A wave of Web 2.0 deals in recent weeks has been aimed directly at physicians, the Business Journal reports.
HealthGrades, one of the country's largest health ratings companies, this month is launching a customized Web site developed by Fliqz, a provider of video tools. The new site will let users virtually tour medical facilities that subscribe to HealthGrades and observe physicians' bedside manners.
Humana, a health care insurer, has launched a new Web site designed to engage health care bloggers and create a community for health care reform.
Sermo, a Web-based network of physicians, recently signed a contract with Pfizer to allow the pharmaceutical company to track physician conversations after the information has been made anonymous.
Meanwhile, advertisers are beginning to take notice of physician blogs and networking sites. Trusted.MD, a medical blog network of nearly 200 health care bloggers, has attracted advertising interest from pharmaceutical and insurance companies. Med Gadget, a Web site that focuses on new medical technology, has attracted advertising from pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers and software firms (Solovitch, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, 11/5).