by Kim Keller
It’s hard to keep up with the latest medical information out there, right? I’m sure you can relate to this. Our mom was diagnosed with colon cancer last November, so, naturally, my sister and I wanted to learn everything we could about her medical condition.
We jumped on the Internet to start our research, but it’s really exhausting work, sorting through the morass of information out there, trying to find information that’s relevant, credible and the least bit helpful. And way too much brainpower is wasted trying to figure out what most of it even means.
So I was pretty excited when I was introduced to a new personalized medical information service called Medivizor, which was developed specifically to help people just like you and me make sense of it all.
Here’s how it works: I signed up on Medivizor’s easy-to-use website by answering some questions about my mom’s medical situation, which is essential because it ensures that the information I receive is relevant to her condition.
Maybe once a week, I’ll get an email with a simple message, like the one I received yesterday:
Hello Kim,
New research paper: Does weight influence survival in patients with colorectal cancer? Click here to view.
That was it. Medivizor doesn’t waste my time with long, involved emails, and it doesn’t flood my inbox either. When there’s a piece of relevant information about research or a treatment option or a clinical trial, specific to my mom’s colon cancer, I get a succinct, focused email directing me to check out the new information.
The interface is clean and simple to use, and the messaging couldn’t be more straightforward. I love that. The information that Medivizor sends has been captured from medical journals and then nicely translated into plain English on my very own page on the site, which is called My Personal Space. It’s in this space that I can review all of the pertinent information collected by Medivisor. They even have a place for me to keep my own notes about each article and, with a click of a mouse, I can forward this information to my mom’s doctor or anyone else who might benefit. It’s easy as can be. And if I want to check out the original source of the information, I can do that as well, though the original journal may charge a fee for the info.
Since Medivizor is a startup, it currently handles only a small group of medical conditions: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma and diabetes. During the initial sign-up phase, you may need to wait a bit while becoming a full-fledged member, as the site staff tries to evaluate whether they can effectively assist you in these early stages of their own development. But don’t let that stop you from contacting Medivizor. It’s worth the short wait, and if they don’t currently support a medical condition relevant to your situation, then let your voice be heard to encourage its addition to the core group.
Knowledge is power, which makes Medivizor a powerhouse. It’s not just a keeper; it’s just what the doctor ordered. Oh, and did I mention that the service is free? Yep, that’s right, 100% free. Gotta love that part, too.
Kim Keller is the Co-Founder of In Care of Dad. She lives and works in New York City.
