Here in the US, we complain a lot about our healthcare system.

Our eyes grow big at the seemingly mythical tales told by the likes of Michael Moore in “Sicko”:

All new mothers in France receive drop-in household assistance?!

Doctors perform emergency house calls?! Heck, I’d be happy with some health insurance!

By comparison, our system seems hopelessly antiquated.

But around the US, both patients and providers are getting fed up and have started thinking outside the box.

A recent article in GOOD magazine highlighted the work of Jay Parkinson, a 32 year old Brooklyn-based doctor who’s determined to make health care more accessible and more affordable by going high-tech.

Parkinson started Hello Health, a collective of doctors who operate independently of insurance companies, charging members a $35 monthly membership fee to begin accessing services.

Think of it as the 21st century doctor’s home visit: a regular consult, boosted with modern day tools like IM and e-mail consultations. Hello Health’s website has a social networking feel, and Dr. Parkinson is totally hip to YouTube. In face, here’s one of his videos:

What do you think about “Medicine 2.0″? Is the Hello Health model a viable alternative to the care you’re receiving now? Share your feedback in the comments.

Photo: Pocketdora (Flickr creative commons)

Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator who lives in New York and Mexico City. She is the managing editor of the Matador Network.