Nursing Practice 2.0: the Wisdom of Crowds (EMERGING Technologies Center) (Column‪)‬

IN A RECENT BOOK, James Surowiecki (2005) put forth his ideas about collective intelligence in today's culture. He hypothesized that groups of people are smarter than a few smart individuals and makes the case that the collective "wisdom of crowds" is better at solving problems, making good decisions, and fostering innovation. In this column, we will begin to explore how consumers use the principle of the wisdom of crowds to find health information and make health care decisions. The introduction of the World Wide Web has democratized access to information and knowledge. This is particularly true in health care. Knowledge around diseases, treatments, and even evidence is no longer under the control of the health care establishment, but is accessible by consumers.