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Innovation

DARPA proposes military version of WebMD

DARPA's proposed "military WebMD" aims to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other war-related ailments.
Written by Dan Nosowitz, Contributing Editor

DARPA, the Department of Defense division best known for out-there science projects, has proposed something far more easier to understand: an online resource for troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other psychological effects of war.

Healthcare within the Pentagon costs 9% of their yearly budget, a steep price, and is often ineffective. There's a bit of a stigma for returning military personnel who seek counseling, and without treatment, there's risk of these troops heading down a very dangerous road--hence the massive ad campaigns attempting to remove the stigma.

"Healing Hands," as it's known, is fairly similar to the hypochondriac's best friend for civilians, WebMD. It's not particularly clear how it'll work; the report cites “avatar-based simulation, virtual environments, serious games [and] web comics," which doesn't shed a whole lot of light on the specifics.

Says the proposal, "Online resources and activities, interactive media, and social networking have great potential to supplement and enhance traditional healthcare options."

There's also the problem of impersonality, a problem also suffered by WebMD. The relationship between patient and doctor can't easily be replicated by a series of check boxes, no matter how impressive the "avatar-based simulation." There just isn't a good substitute for a doctor's instincts, reactions, and experience.

But that's not to say it's not worth doing. Anything that might possibly alleviate or even increase awareness of the PTSD, depression, and other psychological problems that come in the aftermath of war is worth a try.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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