Medical Informatics in the Web 2.0 Era

The main role of medical and healthcare informatics is the manipulation of medical information and the dissemination of knowledge. The advent of the Web increased the pervasiveness of medical information and attracted the interest of both practitioners and patients. Web 2.0 in its turn brings people together in a more dynamic, interactive space. With new services, applications and devices, it promises to enrich our web experience, and to establish an environment where virtual medical communities may flourish away from private interests and financial expectations. This article performs a bird's eye view of Web 2.0 novelties, portrays the structure of a medical community and describes how medical information can be exploited in favor of the community. It discusses the merits and necessities emanating from various approaches and tools and gives emphasis on the intelligent information management inside the medical community.