Risk 2.0: The future of connected health (Panel)

Medicine 2.0

Over the past decade the Internet has radically changed the dynamics of health, bringing not only new ways of providing information and care for individuals, but also for communicating and managing health matters on a global basis. New applications, services and access to information have permanently altered the relationships between consumers, health professionals, industry and governments - and there are more changes yet to come with Health 2.0. One of the tenets of Health 2.0 is choice, where consumers take a more active role in their health. Despite the proliferation of wikis, blogs and a host of websites dedicated to their particular concerns, nevertheless there remains an inherent information asymmetry between health care providers and consumers. Bridging these differences presents enormous challenges and goes beyond simply providing tools for consumers, towards facilitating their effective use for improving health outcomes. As significant and well-publicized incidents have shown, there is increasing public pressure on professionals, as well as on national and local systems to better manage the consequences of the online world. These pressures arise in part from the public's perception of risk, such as theft or disclosure of personal health records or vulnerability to fraud and misinformation, to cite several examples. This panel draws on research and expertise in new technologies, health communication and international public health to explore the public's understanding and perception of quality, evidence and risk. Using an audience response system to facilitate discussion, participants will highlight real and perceived dangers of online health and the implications for the sector. Together the panel and audience will consider the role of consumers, health professionals, industry and governments in facing the challenges of the next decade as the technologies evolve and as our ability to understand, prevent and manage risk improves.