Steve Case’s Revolution Health Unveils Preview of New Health Care Web Site
Revolution Health Group, launched last year by America Online co-founder Steve Case, on Monday unveiled a preview of RevolutionHealth.com, a new Web site that will allow users to search for information on specific medical conditions, find physicians and exchange comments with other users, the Washington Post reports. The Web site, which will formally launch in April, remains under development, with new features added daily (Shin, Washington Post, 1/23). In the future, the Web site will store personal health records, offer telephone services to consult users on their health and provide users with recommendations on management of health insurance claims (Won Tesoriero, Wall Street Journal, 1/22). Revolution Health will offer access to the Web site at no cost until April (Washington Post, 1/23). After April, users will have to pay an annual fee of about $100 for access to premium services. Case said that the Web site seeks to transform a "broken industry by putting health care back into the hands of the consumer" (Wall Street Journal, 1/22). Meanwhile, WebMD.com, a rival of RevolutionHealth.com, on Monday unveiled a preview of a "next generation" Web site that will allow users to make appointments at no cost and establish PHRs. In addition, the Web site will allow users to check their symptoms and exchange comments with other users on specific medical conditions (Washington Post, 1/23).
Increased Focus on EHR Implementation
In related news, the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday examined the increased focus on implementation of electronic health records systems by physician offices, pharmacies, health insurers, hospitals, laboratories and employers. According to the Inquirer, experts have discussed the issue of EHR systems for the past decade, but the issue has begun "moving ... to the forefront" as result of increased health care costs, the health care needs of aging baby boomers, support from the Bush administration and improvements in technological proficiency. The possibility of broad implementation of EHR systems, which could cost tens of billions of dollars, has health care technology companies "positioning themselves to profit from electronic medical records," the Inquirer reports (Von Bergen, Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/21).
Related Broadcast Coverage
APM's "Marketplace" on Friday featured a segment on EHRs and PHRs, which allow patients to access their records and refill prescriptions without visits to physician offices or hospitals (Palmer, "Marketplace," APM, 1/19).
Audio of the segment is available online.