In a recent Health Journal article, (Wall Street Journal), Tara Parker Pope “reflects on the power of information to improve our health.” She describes the experience of her mother who was battling cancer. The first physician she consulted was not open to questions regarding treatment alternatives. The second physician was both “caring and communicative.” This enabled her mother to first fight the disease aggressively and then face death calmly.

I think the question here is not whether consumers are going to take control over their own health – but how and when. Yes, healthcare is different from other industries. But with the government and employers pushing for informed, engaged consumers to become part of the decision making process and advertisers including pharmaceuticals, medical supply, bio-tech companies, and even big retailers like Wal-Mart, CVS, and Target bombarding the airwaves with healthcare messages, how different is healthcare?

Consumers are no longer content with “healthcare as usual.” They have unprecedented access to information and resources. Increasingly, they are bearing the cost and responsibility for care. And they expect customer service, similar to what they get from other organizations. For today’s well-informed consumers, customer service includes forming partnerships with their healthcare providers around their health and wellness. Support and recognition for a customer focused culture will empower care givers to meet these new consumers and help them “take control over their own health.