The Center for Patient Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in collaboration with other leading healthcare institutions, has launched a website to help newly diagnosed patients learn about other patients with the same diseases and conditions, reports Journal Sentinel.
The site — healthexperiencesusa.org — aims to supplement physicians' medical advice with experiences from other patients who have faced the same health problems. JohnsHopkinsUniversity in Baltimore, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and YaleUniversity in Hartford are collaborating on the initiative.
So far, the site features video clips, audio recordings and text from 38 American adults who were interviewed about various aspects of depression. The site plans to add information about other diseases in coming years.
The site provides a localized space for personal stories related to health issues, Rachel Grob, director of national initiatives for the Center of Patient Partnerships, told Journal Sentinel. "It helps [patients] understand the breadth of experiences that other patients have. We are storytelling animals."