Online Public Relations Thoughts

Microsoft's new online health record site is a step in the right direction, but it also might be a no-win situation from a PR perspective. Privacy advocates are nervous. It is known and understood that computerization of health records will be a major leap forward in more accurate medicine and in cost control, but it isn't happening. Privacy is one issue that is preventing it. Cost is the main culprit. The dumb result is that the most computerized country still depends on paper records stuffed into folders and jammed into drawers.

Change is difficult, but the role of PR should be to facilitate change. There is a need for a citizen-driven effort to get computerization done.