The Evolution of healthcare applications in the Web 2.0 Era

Abstract

Healthcare refers to the diagnosis, treatment and management of illness, as well as to the preservation of health through specialized services. Healthcare services are offered by medical practitioners and organizations and directed to individuals or to populations. The advent of the Web increased the pervasiveness of healthcare services and attracted the interest of both practitioners and patients. In its turn, Web 2.0 brought people together in a more dynamic and interactive space. With new services, applications and devices, it promises to enrich our web experience, and to establish an environment where virtual medical communities may flourish away from private interests and financial expectations. This article performs a bird's eye view of Web 2.0 novelties, portrays the structure of a community for healthcare and describes how medical information can be exploited in favor of the community. It discusses the merits and necessities of various approaches and tools and sheds light on pitfalls that should be avoided. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.