The 2007 workshop reprised and extended the discussion started at the 1997 workshop - 10 years on.

• Description of 2007 workshop
• Discussion workgroup topics
• Workshop agenda

In November 1997, when the World Wide Web was an emerging technology, Health Improvement Institute held a successful 1-day workshop: Quality of Health Information on the Internet enabling consumers to tell fact from fraud. In the next 10 years, the Internet became an essential communication and networking tool. In 2007, the Institute held another 1-day interactive workshop to continue and expand the discussion it began in 1997. The 2007 workshop provided a forum in which health care, media, and publishing experts, representatives of interested organizations, and consumers could explore various aspects of and issues pertaining to health information on the Internet. This format stimulated the exploration of ideas and created a framework to facilitate policy decision-making. The trend toward consumer directed health plans made this workshop most timely. Value based purchasing requires transparency. Consumers need readily available information on providers' performance, both cost and quality/safety. The Internet is the most compelling way to present and to access such information, adding yet another dimension to consumers' search for reliable health information on the Internet.

The 2007 workshop permited participants to:

• Analyze changes and issues regarding Web based health information and services
• Share the methods organizations use to publish and to evaluate health information on the Internet
• Discuss how to improve the quality of health information and its utility to consumers.

2007 Workshop discussion topics

• What consumers want & will use - Do consumers care about the quality of health information?
• Future of trustmarks, ratings, & consumer feedback - Are trustmarks dead?
• Information for consumers to make health care decisions - Will consumerism save the system?
• Gathering evidence & improving research - Does evidence make a difference?

Sponsors of the 2007 workshop included Consumers Union and Consumer Reports WebWatch

To view members of the 2007 workshop planning group

To read 2007 workshop report

To view 2007 workshop photos

To visit 2007 workshop print shop

To 2007 workshop home page

Information on the 2007 workshop was last updated on March 29, 2008