Time for Public Health Video Announcements for Cell Phones

What a great idea.

It may already be out there, but a colleague of the Disease Management Care Blog pointed out that it's only a matter of time until video (for example) functionality becomes a routine feature of all cell phones. What's more, based on usage, the phone companies will be able to identify individual preferences and interests. Companies are undoubtedly gearing up for this and are preparing to 'push' their brands on an unsuspecting public by channeling specific individualized content to the end-user. It will be hated by consumers. It will also be very successful.

Why not, she asks, plan on doing the same thing in the name of public and population health?

After all, parts of the U.S. government (an example is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or 'CDC') are also in the business of molding consumer behavior. Compared to pharma's ubiquitous cholesterol-drug T.V. advertising, however, the CDC's written materials are stupendously boring. Any video content is conspicuously absent both on CDC.gov and YouTube web sites.

Note to the Feds: if you all really intend to be leaders in U.S. healthcare and continue to want to educate in the name of public health, you need to anticipate where your 'market' is going. It's time to start planning on the creation of short, focused, engaging and, most of all, trusted video content for cell phones that can be 'pushed' toward consumers interested in topics such as weight control, treatment of diabetes or lowering their high blood pressure.