The Vital List: Move Over, Dr. Google
Friday, July 20, 2007
We’re all guilty of letting Google indulge the aspiring doctor (or cyberchondriac!) in us. So we found some new kids on the block to add to your sick search routine …
1
Kosmix wonder
You’ve got a bad case of the sniffles and you fear the worst. Don’t just Google it, Kosmix it. This new site gives the search king a run for its money. Simply type in your ailment of choice and sift through results categorized into intuitive buckets like “related topic,” “basic info,” “for medical professionals,” (ooh, us, too!) and “natural remedies.”
2
Shop 'til you drop
From the makers of WebMD comes a comparison-shopping tool for healthcare products and services. Vimo lets you research, rate and purchase health insurance plans (with the help of brokers at no extra charge). You can also run background checks on doctors and compare hospital prices on medical procedures.
3
Don't settle
If you’re like us and got insurance before smart tools like Vimo existed, you may be in need of My Medical Control’s services. If you owe at least $250 on a medical claim, this service will analyze it for over-charges or medical coding errors. Then they’ll directly contact your medical provider to discuss and settle your claim for a reduced amount. The best part? You only pay them 35% of the money you saved (no savings, no fee!).
NOTE: We're sorry to say that as of September 2007 My Medical Control stopped accepting clients.
4
Social strength
You’re not the only one spending hours researching online, visiting doctors, yelling at your insurance company. A new site called Daily Strength is capitalizing on that by bringing the power of social networking to healthcare. A network of people (patients) share their advice, treatment experiences and support. It’s a fast growing phenomenon … just remember that the advice on the site isn’t coming from a doctor.
