“Information therapy” has long been part of the participatory medicine mindset. (See our 2007 post that mentions Josh Seidman PhD’s Center for Information Therapy – he went on to be president of SPM.) In the COVID-19 era, now more than ever, it’s essential that clear, accurate, and up-to-date information reaches patients and families.

This is a call to explore, and perhaps help create, a free patient education content clearinghouse for COVID-19 resources and other patient care information. (The platform, from SPM Innovator Member Docola, will remain free – it’s not a temporary program for COVID-19.) Brief 15 minute web introductions will be aired at noon and 12:30 ET Friday (March 20) and recorded for playback later.  Register here.

Longtime SPM member Eran Kabakov @EranKabakov of Docola is a physical therapist working to democratize patient knowledge and communication. He’s created the platform for clinicians and hospitals to e-prescribe information, create personalized resources (e.g. videos) and track whether people access them.

In the near term it will be important to help get info out to various populations about COVID-19. While clinics are starting to use telemedicine, they are not able to share information with their patient population effectively. With this platform they can tag sub-groups (for example ones who have COPD), then e-prescribe info about the pandemic that’s specific to that group. Clinicians can also pull in additional open-source content from resources like the CDC or foundations and e-prescribe that, too.

Image credit: purchased from Dreamstime