Geoffrey Moore (author of 'Inside the Tornado') would say that we are in the 'chasm' between early and mainstream adoption of connected health technology. The Partners 2006 symposium showed that changing the way that government funds healthcare from fee per service to fee per outcome is key to crossing this particular chasm. The symposium also showed that the US government is listening and is prepared to act subject to evidence - which they will need to amass themselves. So we have a two or three year window during which, if you follow Mr Moore's diagnosis and treatment plan, the connected health community will need to focus on clusters of applications (in what Moore calls 'the bowling alley' phase of market development) that are closely linked so that when one skittle falls, it has an impact on the others.

Chronic disease management is an obvious cluster. My bet is that this will lead the way towards changing government reimbursement strategies leading to subsequent and more or less predicable technology adoption by existing providers.

What is not so clear is what will drive us beyond the 'bowling alley' and into Moore's 'Tornado' with attendant exponential market growth. In this we will see applications that surpass current healthcare imagination. Body Media have pointed the way to the use of lifestyle databanks as new sources of 'vital signs' information. MySpace has yet to make an impact on healthcare - but it or something like it will in due course play a role in helping connected health to cross the chasm, pass through the bowling alley and then enter the amazing tornado of connected health.

I am heartened by all of the experimentation that CMS is doing with respect to risk-based contracting and pay for performance. These changes will encourage adoption of connected health. I want to call attention to the other major payment force in US health care, the large employer. This group is very creative (some would say desperate) and will adopt solutions ahead of the government. We just have to present them with solutions that are ready to go.

Thank you for starting this forum. I'm very interested in how people think about their health (worried, engaged, in denial, etc.) and how that impacts their interaction with health-related technology. Can you point me to any literature or other references that talk more specifically about human factors and product design in relation to health self-perception?

I'm curious if improved patient satisfaction, education and loyalty are issues that keep physicians and practice managers awake at night. My guess would be a definite yes. What if there were a solution that could provide each of these values while increasing a practice's revenues significantly? The 2 main things patients complain about the most are the long, frustrating waits and the lack of adequate education as related to an injury or condition. We believe we've solved both problems while creating an alternative revenue source for medical practices and hospital systems. With WiSpots - www.wispots.com we've created a health care focused amenity and tool that will revolutionize the medical wait environment while creating the next big, non traditional, out of home media outlet.

WiSpots is the future of waiting patiently!

I'm curious if improved patient satisfaction, education and loyalty are issues that keep physicians and practice managers awake at night. My guess would be a definite yes. What if there were a solution that could provide each of these values while increasing a practice's revenues significantly? The 2 main things patients complain about the most are the long, frustrating waits and the lack of adequate education as related to an injury or condition. What if there were a solution or service that gave patients an opportunity to check in, fill out surveys, sign up for clinical trials, request educational information, surf the web, check emails and play games..........all at no cost to the patient, on mobile Wireless web tablets located in patient waiting areas?