Prevention Matters

The New York Times reports that a start-up company led by Adam Bosworth, former head of the Google Health team, plans to become the newest entrant to the online consumer health business. Bosworth and his San Francisco-based company, Keas (pronounced KEE-ahs) Inc. Keas is at the forefront of the effort to combine advanced Web and database technologies so it can personalize health education. Using the Keas system, for example, a person with Type 2 diabetes might receive reminders, advice on diet and exercise, questions and prompts presented on the Web site or delivered by e-mail or text messages — all personalized for the person’s age, gender, weight and other health conditions. Keas' major partners include Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault.