The Journal of Medical Internet Research recently published a research paper called, SMS Applications for Disease Prevention in Developing Countries, that found while there have been many text message-powered health initiatives, very few of them have been sufficiently evaluated.

Healthcare will be a hot topic during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Barack Obama nearly two years ago is attacked or defended by the respective candidates and their surrogates. However, no matter who wins the White House this year, the U.S. healthcare system will be reformed, and more likely transformed, in the near future, and analytics is certain to play a leading role in that transformation.

The social web is evolving at an incredible pace. While a rising number of consumers use the web to express and disseminate their knowledge, experiences and opinions of products and services, most brands still have to figure out how to participate optimally in this unique channel. Despite all the data available at a marketer’s hands, practice presents a disappointing image. Too often I see campaigns targeted to achieve, let’s say, 100,000 Facebook fans. Social media seems to become the goal, a gimmick, not incorporated in a social business strategy.

A long-awaited government study on a mysterious skin condition known as Morgellons disease concludes that it isn’t infectious or caused by something in the environment. It also is very rare, affecting fewer than 4 in 100,000 people surveyed.

In order to provide effective healthcare to the rural population, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by government of India proposed introduction of female health workers village level. These workers are called Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and their role is to act at an interface between the community and the government healthcare services. More specifically, she is responsible for promoting universal immunisation, referral and escort services for reproductive and child healthcare and other health care delivery programs.