By CECELIA GOODNOW
P-I REPORTER
Social networks were in their infancy in 2004 when Keith Schorsch's struggle with Lyme disease began. Back then, connecting with other patients often meant navigating a patchwork of listservs and chat rooms.
In just a few years, the landscape has changed dramatically as Web 2.0, the shift toward user-generated content, has penetrated the realm of health and wellness, creating a booming trend called Health 2.0.
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By CECELIA GOODNOW
P-I REPORTER
It started with a bull's-eye rash. Spider bite, his doctor thought. But as the weeks passed, Keith Schorsch endured a cascade of progressively severe symptoms: Facial paralysis. Mental confusion. Extreme fatigue. Back and muscle pain that jolted him, screaming, from sleep.
Ten doctors in three months examined him and scratched their heads. One, convinced Schorsch had Bell's palsy, recommended a craniotomy within 48 hours to relieve pressure on the facial nerves.
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What: Trusera, Seattle
Who: Keith Schorsch, 44, founder and CEO
Mission: Create a social-networking environment for sharing health-care information.
Second opinions: No ache or pain is ever unique; someone has had it before you and may have something that might help. Trusera tries to connect people with others who have dealt with ailments and have gathered solutions doctors may not always suggest.
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We are pleased to announce the 12th Annual SXSW Web Awards
Finalists below -- all sites that have launched or been completely
redesigned in 2008. The winners in each category are revealed at the
SXSW Web Awards Ceremony
on Sunday evening, March 15. Don't forget to vote for your favorite finalist to win the
People's Choice Award
through March 6th.
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Launched in July 2008 by a former Amazon.com executive, Trusera
offers software tools for bringing patients with similar conditions
together and for tracking responses to different treatments.
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Call it a coincidence, but over the past few days I have spent a lot of
time with folks who used to work for Amazon but are now out doing new
things. It all started with Jason Kilar, the CEO of Hulu, who was a keynote speaker
at our NewTeeVee Live conference. Then last night I met with Dave
Schapell, founder and CEO of TeachStreet, an e-marketplace for
teachers. And this morning I had coffee with Jeff Lawson, co-founder of
Twilo.
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You can find just about anything online these days, but what if you've an illness confounding doctors? In this week's CEO Spotlight KIRO Money Editor Jason Brooks reports a Seattle businessman has drawn on his own experience to help others find answers.
Recently, I learned about Trusera,
an interesting new health Web site where people can share their health
stories, questions and cautions with others in order to get feedback
and find answers. And that's where I heard about Michele Hyra's
shocking story ...
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My company, Trusera, an
online health network, employs 15 people, most of us avid cyclists who
commute on two wheels. These days our options are greater than just
road bikes vs. mountain bikes. Some new models offer an electric-power
assist, while others fold up for easy portability.
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When Terri Nelson learned she had a large fibroid tumor in her uterus, she went online
There is nothing new in that, of course. The intrepid and the adept were going to the Web for health information as long ago as the 1980s, well before Google and other search engines made it accessible to a wider audience.
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