Here are some more Internet websites/ applications – that I have experienced or that have been reported in the media :
1. Medical diagnostics (path reports) online : Was at a diagnostic lab in Mumbai today morning for some routine tests. Was pleasantly surpised when I received an invoice listing the lab’s website, along with a unique user name and password and a time at which I could login and access the report. This will certainly save me a return trip to the lab.
Come to think of it, a path lab report doesn’t warrant any face-to-face discussion at the lab itself, so it’s a good candidate for going online. One can think of several value-adds here :
– creation of a My Account for each patient, where the patient logs in and can see his/ her medical history
– loyalty scheme for patients where they can see accumulated points and discounts (useful in a commodity service like diagnostics)
– user ID & passwords for all the doctors in the neighbourhood, along with an email & / or SMS alert to the doctor informing that the test report is now online
– an application whereby doctor can upload his/her comments vis-a-vis the path lab report
– creation of a My Account for each patient, where the patient logs in and can see his/ her medical history
– loyalty scheme for patients where they can see accumulated points and discounts (useful in a commodity service like diagnostics)
– user ID & passwords for all the doctors in the neighbourhood, along with an email & / or SMS alert to the doctor informing that the test report is now online
– an application whereby doctor can upload his/her comments vis-a-vis the path lab report
Daresay some labs / sites worldwide have already moved forward on these ideas, would be interesting to get names.
2. Indian website on pancreatic cancer : Continuing with sites on medicine, leading cancer hospital Tata Memorial Hospital of Mumbai has launched the first Indian website on this cancertype. Pancreatic cancer is as yet less common in India but – with ubanization – it’s incidence is rising. This site, run by the cancer specialists themselves, gives information and resources for patients as per the Indian context and will help create better understanding here of this little known disease.
3. Site for dental specialists : Smileworld is a site created by two Mumbai-based dentists which seeks to serve as an educational platform for dental students and newbie dentists.
4. Jama Masjid redevelopment plan : The Jama Masjid mosque, built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656 A.D., is Delhi’s premier mosque. The Delhi city muncipal authorities have posted their plans to redevelop the mosque area online. Governments are increasingly turning to the web to interface with their constituents and this is just one example.
5. Political party BJP’s website attempts to be Web 2.0, with forums, YouTube videos, active blogs and a (currently) non-functioning Wiki. The Congress party’s website is most drab though. In a country that’s the world’s largest democracy and that has one of the youngest voter populations, one only hopes that going forward political websites will evolve to better connect with the populace cf. Barack Obama.
Nothing particularly exciting about the above sites, if anything their execution leaves much to be desired, what’s interesting is that there are a lot more novel online applications by the day.. the Internet juggernaut rolls on.
