Cincinnati researchers tout benefits of physician ‘bulletin board’

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center say that doctors who used a Web-based “global bulletin board” to share information on treatments saw dramatic increases in patient outcomes (Source: “Health 'bulletin board' shows promise,” Cincinnati Enquirer, Nov. 13, 2009).

The study focuses on a program called “ImproveCareNow,” which involved a group of pediatric gastroenterologists sharing information on new treatments and their effectiveness on patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Over a 27-month period, participating doctors saw the percentage of patients in remission increase by 20 percent.

The program's success earned Cincinnati Children's a five-year, $8.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health that will expand on the original concept and bring patients and their families into the network.