ONC Working On Another Consumer Health IT Awareness Program–Magpie Healthcare Again With No Role Models in Sight?

Ok so the title here is bound to get some attention and the individual listed in this post is the “only” one at the ONC that has publicly admitted she uses what they proclaim is good for everyone else..  Where’s the rest of the folks at the ONC, do they use a PHR or do they just repeat what is in the news and what they “believe” is good for everyone else?  If you read at the Medical Quack you know I am an advocate of personal health records and “good” consumer health IT applications, not those that just do “one” thing. 

NIH Announces Plan to Develop Medical Image Sharing for PHRs-Role Models Would Help Stamp Out “Magpie Healthcare”

I have an entire section devoted to all types of information on PHRs and probably one of the largest on the web, so thus I feel the need to speak out a little bit as I do my best to be a “hands on”person and not repeat like magpie as the web is full of that today so hopefully when I can share in that fashion it makes a difference. Who do you want to teach you how to drive a car, a person that drives a car or one who read a book about how to drive but doesn’t drive one…case closed there if you will.  Back in September of 2010 I wrote this post to indicate how a new avenue of showing value needs to come along. 

What’s On the Agenda Tonight–World of Warcraft or Work on My Personal Health Record

About the same time I wrote this about HHS, does they participate?  We don’t now as we still have this paradigm of reliance on experts that truly may not exist with lack of participation or at least we never hear about it.  I’m not making this stuff up either as go to your average doctors office and talk about PHRs, good chance they have never heard of them and odds for that even get better when talking with consumers.  This is not the web, this is real time face to face discussions, in other words the “real world” which sometimes gets lost with discussions on the web and we have all done that to a degree, self included. 

HHS National Plan to Improve Health Literacy – Not Going To Happen Until We Focus on Using Technology (The Tool for Literacy) Which Includes Role Models at HHS And Other Places in Government

I would think that perhaps some of the REC centers could use a little follow up as this one in Orange County, where we have a ton of tech companies and information available is non existent compared to great efforts in other parts of the US.

Orange County California REC Center For Doctor Assistance with Medical Records Appears to be a Bust So Far…

Aren’t the folks at the ONC every going to get out of the box and maybe try being role models?  We need those.   What do those experts do for themselves that could have value to share and inspire others?  This is not an easy task to get the attention of the consumer too I realize that because I have been doing it myself for about 3 years on PHRs, but role models and participating and sharing the value is one big missing element here, so get over yourselves and jump on the consume bandwagon here and participate to inspire others. 

Relying on Experts When They May Not Exist–Many Intelligent and Smart People But Do We Have Misconceived Paradigms-TED

I don’t see Microsoft wasting any time with pushing HeatlhVault as they are in the news all the time with new developments and I cover them here.  I have interviewed healthcare executives from Microsoft who “do use Healthvault” themselves and they are not afraid to talk about it, called the internal sell here but value still needs to be seen there for participation as well.  As a matter of fact, Sean over at the Family Health Guy blog (HealthVault) asked you guys to take a break, right?  So while you are taking a break maybe think about showing some value for consumers and share the wealth?  You kind of bore me and maybe others with the current efforts and I’ll still stand strong with the FDA recalls/cellphones as being huge vehicle that would drive this and yes it means big time collaboration but the consumers are worth it, right as we all today seem to end up on the short end of the stick so much, and this would be a great area to make a difference.   

Another good example of PHR mentality was all the huge press that Google Health being discontinued received?  Why?  It was being discontinued due to lack of interest so why all the press?  How many are going to miss it for goodness sakes but many took the opportunity to use it as subject matter for writing articles and again most of those who did that have never touched a PHR so what an oxymoron with public views and the press as well on this topic.  The folks in the press could tune up a little her too as again this is consumer health IT. 

Everything today is not at it seems <grin>, so let’s get some reality back in the picture ok?  In the meantime I am guessing that most will continue to choose playing World of Warcraft versus working on their PHR, you need a new game folks and “tag”  you are it.  Does the Surgeon General use the Surgeon General’s PHR….inquiring mind may just want to know.  BD 

WASHINGTON – The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will widen its efforts in mid-September to bring consumers into its orbit of tools and outreach with a campaign to get the public more involved in their health and health care.

ONC will develop activities to explain the value of health IT tools, such as electronic health records (EHRs), personal health records (PHRs) and mobile phone applications.

ONC plans to include a variety of organizations that touch consumers to participate in the effort and to seek their ideas for how to involve patients, according to Lygeia Ricciardi, ONC’s senior policy advisor for consumer e-health, at an Aug. 9 meeting of the Consumer Consortium on eHealth.

ONC plans consumer health IT campaign | Government Health IT

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