Tom O’Keefe

In a previous article, Web 2.No More, I wrote about how the current economic conditions are moving us into a new web life cycle. Away from Web 2.0 and into Web 3.0 where the leading web applications will focus more on solving critical problems rather than creating love connections.  In that post I wrote:

Health 2.0 applications like Sermo, infoMedMD & PatientsLikeMe are in their infancy but they’re quickly providing patients all over the world with medical research, information and patient outreach – services that previously were only available via costly doctor visits. Online medical applications were definitely slow to adapt Web 2.0 technologies, but I think they’re some of the first players in Web 3.0. Interactive medical data applications used not for online enjoyment (or making friends) but rather to educate people in an attempt to make their lives better and healthier. 

Health 2.0 is the commencement of this new web cycle and over time we might discover that there was years of overlap between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0. Technology and ideas evolve. Some still adapt the old ways while others are pushing ahead. The current economic conditions calls for the immediate change in definition, valuation, focus and efficiency. Some will make the jump from 2.0 to 3.0, others won’t make it out and many more are just being born.

We at infoMedMD just released our latest infoMed and this time the topic is Dieting & Weight Loss – a popular topic, especially this time of year. The Dieting & Weight Loss infoMed will ask you for your height and weight, preceded by a few questions, after which it will give you a realistic weight loss plan. The Diet & Weight Loss infoMed is written by Dr. Joe Bentivegna who previously wrote a weight loss article entitled “Weight Loss Requires Discipline, Not Gimmicks.” 

The Dieting & Weigh Loss infoMed can be embedded onto your website with the following code:

<object width=’425′ height=’344′><embed src=’https://www.infomedmd.com/flash/infomed_app_425_344.swf?infoMedId=21&ac=FF3T9UPE6BVDZQZ’ type=’application/x-shockwave-flash’ width=’425′ height=’344′></embed></object>

The recent market fiasco has everyone wondering whether Web 2.0 is alive or dead? The technology is indeed still alive (and advancing) but the focus is changing towards Web 3.0.

When the internet bubble burst in the early 2000s it acted as the dividing line between Web 1.0 (the original web) and Web 2.0. Web 2.0 didn’t commence the day after the bubble burst but rather it evolved over time with the rise of search, social networking, blogs, online videos and user generated content. Whereas Web 1.0 was about putting offline information (books, news, brochures) online, Web 2.0 is about sharing that information via social networks, blogs, online video, social messaging, etc. Web 3.0 will evolve with the integration of all this information into deeper analytical studies of online (and human) interaction, consumption behaviors & consumer data. A move more towards the semantic web.

Not only do I think that Web 3.0 will be about the quantifying of Web 2.0’s user generated data but I believe the focus (of web applications) will change.

In business, they’ll take a more active role in utilizing social networks and messaging platforms to communication with clients. This online interaction is efficient, effective and measurable, which provides corporations with analytical interaction to quantify and measure customer feedback like never before. The web has been evolving in this direction but the recent economic mess will force firms to embrace this technology now. The need to cut costs and be more accountable will propel the web towards Web 3.0 much faster than anticipated. 

The second main change from Web 2.0 to 3.0 will be about focus. This past month has seen two monumental events. The financial collapse of the world economy and a historical election that broke centuries of racial inequality in the United States. Obama’s message was all about change and not only will there be change at home but also a movement towards changing the world’s perception of us. This means instead of meaningless applications that rate whether you’re hot or not there will be a movement towards uniting the online industrial western world with developing nations. Online video has already opened up our eyes to injustice around the world but it’s only the start. The tools of Web 2.0 will evolve to help all nations be self sufficient, energy independent (via new energy technology) and environmentally friendly.

Web 2.0 gave us the technology to test the effectiveness, success and power of online interaction. Global information, worldwide interaction & third world participation opens up a world of possibilities to both developing and industrialized nations. I already see the global need for western medical information with infoMedMD. Many of our visitors come from developing nations that likely don’t have access to quality medical care. With infoMeds, developing nations (with online access) can receive Western medical advice almost as if they specifically asked a doctor for a diagnosis.

Health 2.0 applications like Sermo, infoMedMD & PatientsLikeMe are in their infancy but they’re quickly providing patients all over the world with medical research, information and patient outreach – services that previously were only available via costly doctor visits. Online medical applications were definitely slow to adapt Web 2.0 technologies, but I think they’re some of the first players in Web 3.0. Interactive medical data applications used not for online enjoyment (or making friends) but rather to educate people in an attempt to make their lives better and healthier. 

Whatever the third phase of the web is called it’s very likely that it has just begun. The current economic conditions have forced technology companies (and the venture capitalists funding them) to rethink their business models, focus their ideas and think of the next big thing. The third phase of the web will take everything that we’ve learned during Web 1.0 & 2.0 and make it better.

We at infoMedMD, a medical symptoms checker, just published our latest infoMed entitled “Lung Cancer Prognosis.” 

This INFOMED is designed to give the user an idea of his or her prognosis of lung cancer. It also discusses some of the complications of lung cancer and deals with relevant end of life issues. The user should know the type of lung cancer he or she has, although INFOMED can still be helpful without this information.

We’re happy to announce that all of the medical symptoms on infoMedMD are now available to embed on your website.  Just browse any of our medical symptoms, for example Cigar Smoking, and you’ll see below it the code to “Embed this infoMed on your site!

All of our infoMeds (medical symptoms) are now available to anyone who visits infoMedMD.com – no registration required! We’re very excited to open up our site to anyone who needs our personalized medical information! Why?   By opening up infoMedMD.com users are now guaranteed 100% anonymity while we at infoMedMD can start aggregating this data into extremely valuable medical research. Medical research that can be of great benefit to patients, medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies.

With this “open” we’re also extending our custom infoMeds to pharmaceutical firms who want to gather valuable research on current and upcoming pharmaceuticals. By creating a custom infoMed you can aggregate and correlate user feedback in a personalized way not possible before infoMedMD. Combine that with the ability to embed any infoMed into thousands of websites and clients can now maximize feedback (and traffic) like never before.

Sound interesting?  Contact us for additional information, embed code, partnerships or just to say hi.

We at infoMedMD have been busy this past week and even with that managed to launch two new medical symptoms to our list of infoMeds.

These two focus on your vision 

Poor Contact Lens Vision – Near Vision and Double Vision Symptoms

In addition to Bizak, we’ve been very busy launching new infoMeds at infoMedMD, a medical symptoms checker.  We currently have 40 medical symptoms available to careseekers with the latest ones being:   

• Menopause
• Acne
• Nosebleeds
• Tubal Ligation
• Vasectomy
• Pregnancy

I was just going over some of the before and after development for infoMedMD, my medical symptoms checker, and the improvement was more dramatic then I remember.  The website’s transformation was just as dramatic, but unfortunately I didn’t grab a screenshot of it – will do for future projects.   

The Original Lasik infoMed 

Lasik infoMed (Before)

The Current Lasik infoMed

Lasik infoMed (After)

We also just made all of the medical symptoms on infoMedMD free for everyone.  To start answering the infoMeds just register at medical conditions and then browse our list while logged in.  By 2009 we hope to have close to 200 infoMeds for your use.  The majority of these medical symptoms will be free with some of the more advanced symptom checkers having a small fee.  

Feel free to link to infoMedMD using the following code:

<a href=”http://www.infomedmd.com” TITLE=”Medical Symptoms”>Medical Symptoms</a>

infoMedMD just launched embeddable infoMeds that websites can now offer to their visitors for free.  With a simple line of code websites can now offer their visitors any of the listed infoMeds for free.  Results are sent directly to the user via email – no registration or payment needed.

Probably the best explanation of our new service can be seen via the 2 infoMeds embedded on TOKiBiz – Eye Problem Screening and Screening Tests.

To receive your custom code for any of the infoMeds listed please contact infoMedMD.

In addition to creating our own startups (Bizak) we at TOKiBiz also work with entrepreneurs to help them create a profitable internet business.  TOKiBiz helps entrepreneurs create ideas into business.  This includes developing the business model, the revenue model, building the application, creating a design, building a brand and designing the logo.  

Then when all of these steps are completed we’re ready to launch the application. Unlike most firms, TOKiBiz then helps the entrepreneur run their internet company. This can be anything from just an advisory role to being the people running the show – as is the case with infoMedMD.  With infoMedMD we helped the founder create the idea into a brand, then a website and then into a business.

With our recent launches we at TOKiBiz are looking to expand our services to other entrepreneurs, continue development of in house applications and offer new services such as internet & video marketing.  Right now we at TOKiBiz are looking for investors to help us help entrepreneurs, in return giving you an equity stake in every project that we work on.  An equity stake in not just one company, but all of the great ideas coming out of Boston and the country.  

If you’re interested in investing in TOKiBiz, Inc. please email Tom (via Bizak email form) or call Tom O’Keefe at 617-947-8071.  Tom O’Keefe and TOKiBiz, Inc. are located in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mass High Tech has another article about the burgeoning Health 2.0 industry and Boston/Cambridge’s central role in it.  As I previously wrote in Health 2.0 Boston has a number of leading Health 2.0 applications, including the soon to be launched infoMedMD.  

The MHT article, in cooperation with iCrossing, provides some interesting statistics on online search habits when it concerns our health.  When it comes to researching our health the internet is the most popular medium with 59% of people utilizing online resources, however primary care physicians are the most trusted source for health information.  

Of those utilizing the internet for their health information, 63% are woman, 54% are men, 66% are aged 18-34, 56% are over 55 and 54% are 35 to 54.  Of those that did use the internet for their healthcare information needs, 75% of them are searching for a specific ailment or medical symptom and 41% use the web for self diagnosis – likely many of those in the 18-34 age group.  66% of the survey’s respondents start with Google for their healthcare research, the rest go directly to portals like WebMD. (Source:  MHT & iCrossing)

InfoMedMD is set to launch in the next couple of weeks.  InfomedMD is an intelligent healthcare application which through a series of questions provides you with personalized medical information specific to you and your symptoms.  We expect to launch the service with approximately 30 infoMeds – another 30 infoMeds will be released sporadically during the weeks following.

To be notified of our launch please register at infoMedMD.com

Below is a screen shot of infoMedMD.com from Medical Questions.

Below is a screenshot of the Lasik Surgery infoMed.

When infoMedMD launches we expect to have the following infoMeds available:

• Alcholoism
• Allergies & Hay Fever
• Bad Breath
• Blepharitis
• Botox – Is it For Me?
• Cataract
• Chlymydia
• Cholesterol Screening
• Cigar Smoking – How Bad is It?
• Cold Sores
• Colon Cancer Screening
• Contact Lens Irritation
• Diabetes Screening
• Dog Bite
• Dry Eye
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Eye Diseases
• Eye Problem Screening
• Eye Vitamins
• Gardasil
• Genital Herpes
• Headaches – Do I Have a Serious Problem?
• Health Maintenance
• Hypertension Screening
• Lasik
• Prostate Cancer Screening
• Screening Tests
• Shingles Prevention
• Testosterone Supplements
• Vasectomy

These infoMeds will be released during the weeks following:

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening
• Autism
• Breast Cancer Screening
• Cigarette Smoking – How Bad is It?
• Decreased Near Vision
• Dental Screening
• Diabetes
• Dieting (Weight Loss)
• Double Vision
• Enlarged Pupil
• Eye Itchiness
• Eyelid Twitching
• Floaters/Flashers
• Glasses to Contacts
• Glaucoma
• Hand Problems
• Heart Disease Screening
• Lung Cancer Prognosis
• Macular Degeneration
• Osteoporosis Screening
• Ovarian Cancer Screening
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Screening
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Skin Cancer Screening
• Stroke Risks

Even with the proliferation of Health 2.0, 80% of medical practices still keep paper records.  Smaller medical practices cite costs as the main reason for not going digital and I imagine most startups find the task to daunting to tackle.

Instead of digitizing all the manila folders many Health 2.0 startups are opting to tackle issues like medical symptoms, patient-doctor connections and health care information instead.  Emerging a couple years behind Web 2.0, Health 2.0 is integrating the best features of Web 2.0 to help us connect with our health.  Consumers can now participate with their health care like never before.  To no surprise many of these Health 2.0 applications are based in Boston, Massachusetts.  With some of the top doctors in the country, mixing with leading technical minds, health technology fits perfectly in Boston.

Some of those Boston Health 2.0 sites include:

• infoMedMD – online medical symptoms and medical practice services (Brookline)
• American Well – connecting consumers & physicians (Boston)
• PatientsLikeMe – patients helping patients (Cambridge)
• Sermo – physicians for physicians (Cambridge)
• Praxeon – evidence based medicine (Cambridge)
• myDailyApple – health news & search
• DoubleCheckMD – prescription side effects (Cambridge)
• PatientKeeper – mobile patient software (Newton)
• Pri-Med – online education (Boston)
• Wellogic – (Cambridge)

Bizak and TOKiBiz are once again featured in Mass High Tech, a Boston tech newspaper. This week’s article, “Bizak Checks Startup’s Profitability“, focuses on Bizak whereas last week’s, “TOKiBiz Launches Laest Dot-Com Health Website” featured infoMedMD.