Hey guys -- how's your e-Health?

Partly as a result of all that moisture we've been having, the view from my office window is inspiring -- there's a huge park directly ahead that's been manicured for the local soccer teams, the trees all around are green and majestic, gracefully camouflaging the houses and their beautiful gardens.

Everything looks so wonderfully healthy -- until I glance down! Winter's not been kind in the fitness department -- seems like the pounds have a way of sneaking up on you when you're otherwise engaged!

If you're like me, you probably wish there was a way to constantly/automatically monitor your health so that you'd be aware of what's going on -- that way, surprises come Spring/Summer or during a health check-up are kept to a minimum; heck, even if you're super-fit, knowledge can still be a powerful tool!

Well, wish no longer -- things are a-changing in the e-Health arena as we speak; remember in one of my earlier articles I mentioned Personal Health Records (PHRs)? From my perspective, this could be the next big wave in health care.

Let's set the scene; notice how you hardly have time these days to ask your doctor "how's the wife/husband and kids" before they leave the exam room for the next "patient"? Well, get used to it -- business pressures are going to make the image of your doctor even more of a blur as they dash from room to room.

So this means your health is gonna become much more of your responsibility -- understand that I'm advocating prevention rather than intervention here.

Pedometers, blood pressure/glucose monitors are just a few examples of devices that will allow you to upload measurements to a "Health Portal" such as Microsoft's HealthVault (http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/05/06/tech-telus-health-space-microsoft-electronic-health-records.html) or Google's Google Health (http://www.google.com/intl/en-US/health/about/index.html).

Basically these web sites allow you to securely store your health data (meds, measurements etc.), offer you the option of sharing the latter and come with various built-in health management tools.

Also, stay tuned for upcoming offerings from Wal Mart!

OK, so say you're hypertensive and your doctor has you on the appropriate meds; you've had an epiphany and decide once and for all you're gonna beat this weight thing and at a minimum, have the medication reduced.

You're also computer literate (and moved past the security issues), so you decide to try Telus' HealthVault; you buy a pedometer and a blood pressure monitor, walk/pump weights on alternate days then upload your exercise/blood pressure/weight data to the 'Vault.

On a daily/weekly basis, you use one of the tools to show you a picture of what's going on and soon you notice your blood pressure/weight are steadily decreasing.

Next doctor's visit, he's so impressed that he's considering reducing the meds and promising you to start working on that paunch he's developing!

Picture the functionality of a PHR system as somewhat similar to an Excel spreadsheet -- a picture is worth...

You spend your hard-earned dollars on so many things these days that you can't really appreciate where the money's going until you press the "graph" key and notice that you're spending way, way too much on shoes, or if you're like me, on chocolate-covered almonds!

To wrap up, all I'm saying is that with the ever-increasing cost pressures on health care, our quality of life will soon become directly related to the effort we put into maintaining it.

Now, as I promised, I'm starting a "where-am-I" contest; if you can guess where the above picture (double-click it if you need a better resolution) was taken, I will arrange to send you something I hope you'll like -- this month, it's the book "No matter what" by Lisa Nichols.

A hint and the month the blog pertains to is provided below.

The rules are simple, namely:

1> you were not at the location when the picture was taken

2> you must reply in a comment to the blog -- first correct or most accurate (e.g. Toronto as opposed to Ontario) wins

3> you were not a previous winner in the past 6 months

4> contest closes at 23:59 (EST/EDT) on the last day of the month of the blog's publication

4> prize(s) is(are) carried forward if there was no winner for the month -- the result will also be announced as a comment to the blog

5> ...and of course, Management reserves the right to make the final decision

Hint: not in Canada

Month: June

Good luck and remember to go boldly forth looking after your health and beautifying your neighborhood!

Ernest A. James

President/CEO

Regal Informatics Inc.