79% of U.S. Internet uses have researched health information online

So, what’s the big deal? Well, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project only 73% of us get news online. So, Pew seems to log more people as having researched health information online than receiving news. This is a great trend for those of us in health IT who want to create Software as a Service (Saas) offerings that present useful health information and health IT solutions via the Internet. Doctors are on board, patients are on board, and the infrastructure is ready. So what’s the hold up? As usual, it’s the healthcare IT vendors that are holding our patient information, healthcare data warehouses, and lots of other useful assets hostage inside their silos (applications). Fellow IT colleagues, it’s time to make noise.