Healthcare knowledge transfer through a web 2.0 portal: an Austrian approach

Abstract

The internet has become an important source of health information. However, online information can be misleading. Since it is not always easy for patients to estimate the reliability of web content, a portal supervised by medical experts can lead to more credibility. In this paper, we present a study conducted in Austria that investigates the patients' need for a web 2.0 knowledge transfer portal providing high-quality information to patients and we explain the implementation of a web 2.0 knowledge transfer portal prototype. Besides, the doctors' appraisals concerning their patients' demands and their willingness to participate in such a portal are investigated.