Web app HealthTap brings patients and doctors together online

We often wonder if people are getting sicker by having to wait weeks before getting an appointment with their GP to discuss a health issue. And we’re not surprised if many of these in the meantime head to the almighty Google to search for solutions to their problems, an activity which can bring even the most level-headed person to think the headache is something far worse.

Now we really like the NHS and it is not often we look across the pond for inspiration on how to run medical services, but could this new online application be the future of medical consultation?

HealthTap is enabling people to gain access to medical information and healthcare advice from the comfort of their own home – or coffee shop. With just a few clicks, people will be able to access a database of over 15,000 doctors in 115 specialities who can provide them with answers to specific health questions. The answers will be reviewed by licensed peers, who will be able to give each response a thumbs up or thumbs down, and this ensuring the quality of the answers.

Users will be able to interact with the doctors both online and through a mobile app, and if they so wish, decide to engage in a pay-per-question consultation with a medical professional of their choice to ask specific questions about symptoms and conditions.

The community will also have access to a wealth of published medical information from the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed archives, which have been translated into plain English by the doctors involved.