HIT: Do you really want to have that done?

Recently, many hospitals have started experimenting with webcasts as a means of marketing new procedures and attracting out-of-town business. Now, it appears some insurers are using the technology for an entirely different purpose: to discourage people from having surgeries--or at least make them think twice about having a procedure done. Insurers note that while online tools like webcasts and simulations are useful educational and marketing weapons, they turn out to have an unexpected secondary benefit as well. "Grisly footage" of some procedures can have the effect of discouraging patients from seeking surgery. Advocates also note that people who watch the videos are likely to think more about preventative care.

- read this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)