Dr. Mehmet Oz and Jeff Arnold launch Sharecare.com, where experts share their knowledge with consumers

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

Sharecare.com launched yesterday in San Francisco at the Health 2.0 conference and while I was unable to attend this exciting event, I followed the live twitter feed (#health2con) and it almost felt like I was there.  Having attended the Health 2.0 conferences in the past, the excitement and energy that circulates is always infectious.

As a registered nurse, I am thrilled and honored to be included and surrounded by an amazing group of insightful leaders within the health care industry. I am excited to be part of the editorial advisory board and a consumer health expert.  Engaging consumers with trusted health information is essential; empowering them to be proactive and to take charge of their health and well-being is a critical component of health care.  I’m excited to be part of a stellar team.

Sharecare a new web 3.0 platform, created by WebMD founder Jeff Arnold and Dr. Mehmet Oz, a leading cardiac surgeon, health expert and host of “The Dr. Oz show” takes searching for health advice to a new interactive level.  Sharecare in partnership with Harpo Studios, HSW International, Sony Pictures Television, and Discovery Communications launched Sharecare.com, an innovative platform that provides a simple, easy way for consumers to get high quality answers to the questions of health, provided by trusted experts.

Sharecare, a community of leaders

Sharecare.com collectively brings together top leaders in the health care industry to provide consumers with multiple perspectives within a single website dedicated to improve health and wellness for healthier lives.

Sharecare allows doctors, nurses, hospitals, non-profits, leading brands, and health care experts to engage with each other and consumers in transparent conversations about health.

Sharecare’s content contributors include the most prestigious associations in the health care field, along with prominent non-profit and professional societies that represent the world’s leading medical expertise.  From the American Red Cross to Challenge America to the National Academy of Sports Medicine to AARP, and American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, and Sigma Theta Tau International to Google Health that provides expertise in electronic health records to Arianna Huffington on the importance of being fearless.

Leveraging the power of social networking

“We are thrilled that these amazing organizations will be working with Sharecare,” said Donna Hill Howes, RN, MS, and Senior Vice-President at Sharecare.  “Their participation demonstrates the industry’s belief in the need for what Sharecare will offer consumers online and we look forward to additional organizations joining as we move forward.”

“Sharecare’s vision is to build an ecosystem that simplifies the search for health and wellness information by organizing all of the questions of health and providing multiple answers representing different points of view. Our contributors will range from renowned celebrity physicians to acclaimed hospitals of excellence to best selling authors to local caregivers to online healthcare consumers,” said Jeff Arnold, who has taken an expanded role at Discovery as Chief of Global Digital Strategy and HowStuffWorks.com’ Chairman Emeritus, in addition to becoming Chairman and Chief Architect of Sharecare. “Leveraging the power of social networking, our contributors ‘share care’ through both personal experience and expert knowledge, bringing online healthcare into the 21st Century.”

Access from smart phones to tablets to desktops

The site is inviting, easy-to-use and is designed to be accessible from any device, from smart phones to tablets to desktops. The dynamic home page features timely and relevant health and wellness topics. The site also includes geo-targeting functionality and with the participation of local leading hospitals such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, The Mount Sinai Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital allows Sharecare users to engage with local medical experts.

Navigate the site

If you click “Explore Health Topics” it will take you to a variety of health topics.  For instance, I clicked “Health Care 101” and there you will find various questions and answers.  I clicked through the pages (page 51) until I came to the question, “How can I get the absolute best treatment from a hospital staff? This particular question has two answers from two different experts.  One is from Dr. Oz, a medical doctor and the other is from a registered nurse (yes, I am illustrating how I am involved (Barbara Ficarra) in the Sharecare site).  Also, if you click on the “plus” sign under the photo of the expert, or if you click on their name, it will take you to “their page.”  You will find a list of questions that they have answered.

Here, take a look:

Another question, How can I avoid feeling rushed at the doctor’s office?” is answered by both Dr. Oz and Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA.

Navigate through the site to find out what interests you.  There are many experts and a variety of questions and answers.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

“As a doctor, I am excited to be included amongst industry leadership on Sharecare’s platform.  Not only does Sharecare give consumers the tools to live healthier lives but by bringing together healthcare thought leadership into a single community, it has the potential to foster an environment of innovation within the industry,” said Dr. Mehmet Oz, Host of “The Dr. Oz Show.” “I am excited to harness the power of the Internet to bring everyone into an engaging discussion on how to take control of your own health destiny, encompassing emotional, spiritual as well as the physical aspects.”

The members of Sharecare’s Editorial Advisory Board include:

Click on their page to find out what questions they have answered.

Your turn

We would love to hear what you think about Sharecare.  Have you navigated through the site?  Have you explored the health topics?  Are you getting to know the experts?  Please share your thoughts with us, we would love to hear from you.  Thank you.

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2 Comments

  1. 1

    Sharecare is honored to have you on the leadership team, Barbara! Your healthcare background coupled with your expertise in communicating to the public on health issues makes you a strong voice in the conversation we enable. Thanks Barbara!

  2. 2

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