After a typical medical checkup your doctor might tell you to lose weight, get more exercise and reduce your stress.
OK, then what?
You probably know basic steps to take to improve your health, but you might not know how to find the local services, classes or products that can help us get there.
Sunnie Southern, a Cincinnati dietician with a background in marketing is testing a web-based concept in Cincinnati where people can connect around health topics and share information. Think Facebook, crossed with a local WebMD.
Her effort,
My Health Cincinnati, is part social network, part health resource and part forum. It aims to connect people in Cincinnati to local health resources like yoga and healthy cooking classes, restaurants, healthcare providers and cheaper medications.
“There are national communities out there that are fantastic for people who have a rare disease or condition, and there might not be people in their town who have the same type of condition. But if you have diabetes and you're looking for a place to learn about testing your blood sugar, you need a specific resource to connect to,” says Southern.
My Health Cincinnati is a test market for the concept, which Southern hopes to take to other cities in the new few years. She started the free site in the summer of 2009 and is nearing a revamp of it.
“This is really an opportunity to learn and and understand how to use social media to engage and improve health on a large scale,” Southern says.
My Health Cincinnati is part of Southern's company
ViableSynergy, a consultancy that helps connect healthcare companies and healthcare IT companies that want to use technology to reach consumers and patients to create better health outcomes. Southern works with contractors to develop these healthcare-based tech solutions.
Like many niche social networks created after the Facebook's emergence, Southern said her network gives people a place to talk about health issues in a more appropriate and helpful place.
“You might not want to talk about your health on Facebook, and share that information with people in that network,” she says,
The site is planning to partner with several businesses including
Healthwarehouse.com, a web-based pharmacy in Northern Kentucky that offers discounts on generic medications sent by mail. She is also working with
FairCareMD, a site that allows patients and doctors to agree on cash payments for service.
By Feoshia Henderson
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