e-Patient Dave at 2011 Mayo Transform Symposium

The Mayo Clinic's Transform Symposium is an annual event that focuses on innovations and designing solutions to transform the experience and delivery of healthcare. 

Speakers include some of the most innovative and creative minds working in healthcare, design, information technology, Web2, as well as from many other fields that touch healthcare.

One of the most inspiring talks was given by Dave deBronkart also known as e-patient Dave. Diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2007 (with a median survival rate of 24 weeks), he used the Internet to learn everything he could about the disease and treatment options so he could partner with his healthcare team. Today he is well.

In his presentation, Dave poses the question: "How can it be that the most useful and relevant and up-to-the-minute information can exist outside traditional channels?" While he doesn't suggest that everyone should do as he did or that others will have the same results, Dave certainly stands as a powerful example of someone who is empowered, engaged, equipped and enabled. He ends his presentation with a challenge to physicians: "Let patients help, we might surprise you."

Dave is a full time spokesman and advocate for patient engagement and author of "Laugh, Sing, Eat Like a Pig" and "Facing Death—With Hope."  You can learn more at http://epatientdave.com/

Resources mentioned by Dave in his presentation:

Cure Together provides access to millions of rating comparing the real-world performance of treatments across 590 health conditions. http://curetogether.com/

Society for Participatory Medicine was founded to learn about and promote involvement by all connected parties—patients, caregivers and medical teams. For more information see http://participatorymedicine.org/ and e-Patients Blog at http://e-patients.net/