Web 2.0: Medical Collaboration with no Borders

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ollaboration is an interesting word. The understanding of this concept is important when we talk about the tools of Web 2.0. A definition I found in Wikipedia says, "Collaboration is a process defined by the recursive interaction of knowledge and mutual learning between two or more people who are working together, in an intellectual endeavor, toward a common goal which is typically creative in nature". The fact that there now exists new and better tools to collaborate with others -no matter the time or the place- does not mean that we have to leave the use of classical interaction with other people, but at the same time we have to recognize that the learning of the use of these tools has a tremendous potential to create new and better content and more. Web 2.0 does not mean we have to become techno-freaks, it is about using the tools that exist online to do our work more efficiently. It is about hearing others' opinions and improving our ideas. In medicine the Web 2.0 could be used to interact with other colleagues and with our patients. In medicine the access to the information and the sharing of experiences among colleagues is paramount. The Web 2.0 allows us to do that. If we learn about it, I am sure in the future doctors will not have to leave small towns -and patients- in order to remain current in their field. Because I think the place does not matter for medical practices in times of Web 2.0, or does it?

Interesting Links:
Rural Doctors on a Global Stage: Do Local Communities Make a Difference?
Liberate your control freaks