LEARN INSURANCE

The Journal of Participatory Medicine " Here are some of the principal requirements for the coming-of-age of the e-patient: we need evidence to prove whether and how PM improves health and lowers costs; education to spread the word; exhortation to persuade people to act; enabling efforts to ensure that health care supports individuals' involvement; emolument to persuade institutions as well as individuals; and occasionally edicts, or laws and policy when enticements fail. " Esther Dyson.

This is such a great idea. Patients participate in their medical care, whether they like it or not ( in fact, they should be the key actors , since the purpose of medical care is to help them to get better). Unfortunately, the degree of participation leaves a lot to be desired today. Patients are rarely active players - and most of the time, are passive recipients of medical care. This could be because patients don't know enough ( or care enough) to be intelligent participants; or because their doctors do not encourage them to participate. Hopefully this will change soon !