Currently finding good health information is limited to the web, which is full of texts that are either true or not. There are some services which may offer good information, however they lack the essential integration of other services to them. For example the service could be connected to a network of doctors.
The idea is a well-being adviser implemented as a mobile client that retrieves data from an online server. With this service a user can retrieve possible treatments, closest treatment services, pharmacies, contact details of professionals, make reservations. Thus, the service unites different services together to make the process simpler.
For example, a woman, who might feel stressed out by her busy schedule could open the service and search for stress relief; this would yield possible treatments such as a massage, a 20 minute jog or walk, suggesting a healthy meal, or something different. The service would also yield information on the condition and its possible risks. Choosing the massage treatment, the woman would be led to a selection of places offering the service. From there the woman could choose a treatment facility and book a treatment from this service.
Improving the idea
Considering the trans-media aspect, the service could attract audiences from different angles. As the service is online offering its services through the web and through mobile interfaces, the service can target these audiences through health related communities by providing valuable information and asking for user feedback. Large health related online blogs can be argued as one form of media. Creating a blog for the service would also bring visibility. Getting a presence there would allow an enthusiastic user group to be reached. Newspapers can contain advertisements targeting the customer group. Articles can be written to magazines to allow a good overview of the service.
Putting aside trans-media, the service’s user group needs to be defined more. The media service could be customized to active females in their late 20’s. Or the user group could be old males whose need for medical services increases as age increases. These user groups allow a better theme to be evolved. Providing an email newsletter focused on the user group would enhance the connection between the service and user. Providing some sort of feedback mechanism that is designed for the group might makes them much more likely to send that feedback.
Looking at other health services like health.com, the central focus point is providing health content to its users. The well-being adviser service idea needs to focused more. Perhaps too many services in one is not the most effective method. Instead the service could link to other services that provide those services. When searching for health related information, the service could suggest only the treatment options with links to other providers for further information. Providing a lot of information about all kinds of sicknesses is already another service.
Refining the concept even more, the service could provide treatments that are for example in the case of the female user group: beauty parlor related treatments. For the male user group the service could provide stores selling protein, carbohydrates or other nutrition; gyms close to the area; a restaurant with a pool table; and others.
The Market
Health.com is a similar service providing health information for people. It contains new health topics on its front page every day and a large amount of information about health for the user to search through. Examining the site reveals different ways of distribution of the content on the health.com website. One of these is gifts. People can send gifts to their friends providing a good feeling to the sender as well as presence to the Health brand. The company also sends newsletters allowing them to reach audiences with new information. Magazine issues are sold to people through the website. Health.com uses social media also. It has a twitter page http://twitter.com/goodhealth and a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/healthmag. This shows health.com uses various means of media.
Your idea of a well-being advisor is a good one and based on an everyday life problem. However, as this idea deals with health we see some risks involved. People are complex and so are their problems. To have a program diagnose and prescribe 'solutions' is ethically and safety-wise suspect. The advantage web-health portals have is that they facilitate an array of information for the consumer to choose from, the decision at the end of the day is in their hands. What kinds of risks might your type of service idea have in this light? Who would be responsible for ill-advised diagnosis and subsequent consequences? Maybe you should consider changing the context from health to something else? Maybe you should leave out medical connotations and focus on more leisurely types of well-being information and advice-giving, like hotels.com for well-being services?
VastaaPoistaKeep up the good work!