Web 2.0: what a health care manager needs to know

Web 2.0 is one of the latest buzzwords for an assortment of emerging technologies on the Web. Health care managers need to know the benefits and drawbacks of these technologies before integrating them into organizational operations. In this article, we first illustrate the differences in health care management style and workflow between the Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 technologies. After defining and explaining some of the representative technologies, we discuss the benefits of Web 2.0 in general and the reasons why a health care manager should know these trends. And lastly, we list some caveats that a health care manager should know before fully embracing the technologies. The keys are to align the technologies with the culture and workflow of the organization and have a clear policy on their usages.