Health 2.0 Unconference NL ROCKED

To all of you not at the Health 2.0 Unconference NL today - I offer my apologies from across the pond - you missed something truly incredible. You're hereby invited to the next shindig.

You missed an event that - well - there aren't words right now.

I've never been a part of anything quite like it (but I'm a blogger, so of course I'll get over the lack of words sentiment quick, fast, and in a hurry).

50 people crammed into a room in an industrial loft building in Amsterdam talking about Health 2.0, batting balloons (long story), trading cards and commentary, munching on some superb and utterly non-healthy Dutch treats, asking questions that would make O'Reilly blush- in other words, pretty much paradise.

Our sponsors (KNMP, The Decision Group, building better care - site coming soon, Bubble Foundry, and Twynstra Gudde) : you have participated in the first international Health 2.0 event.

You made this possible. Your support and encouragement gave us the will (and working capital) to live and finalize details while Twittering about presentations and guests at 2am. We thank you (and thank you, and thank you).

Our presenters: you brought the unconference to a level we didn't imagine when we envisioned a casual chat about the global state of healthcare over a few beers.

You define Health 2.0 in Holland (as well as good business-sense, creativity, and innovative spirit), and have lessons for the global consumer-centric healthcare movement (content, community, commerce, and coherence). We thank you (and thank you, and thank you).

To my fellow Musketeers Maarten Den Braber and Martijn Hulst - well, guys, I love you.

What can I say. In the early words of the conference (how we were all feeling) - "Um, wow."

We had almost double the numbers expected, including journalists, insurers, consultants, analysts, students, artists/writers, etc. etc.

Tomorrow I'll have less mushy thoughts and more analytical commentary, including a transcript (complete with messy translation) of the liveblogging and Twittering that tells the story of the first Health 2.0 international event.

We're just getting started over here in Holland - look for the next event in a few months, with increased audience participation and 'collective disruptive service design' a la 31volts ("the Dutch IDEO" who also promised us a barbecue - guys we heart you).

Maarten left this evening and couldn't get Health 2.0 off his mind, even at the Trashed Out event in Amsterdam, where he painted the messages above for us.

Maarten, my friend, there are few things better than link love, but this beats that hands down.

Martijn, on his way home to his wonderful, supportive family (he and his lovely wife have a 3 week old son!), wrote us this message:

"For a couple of years I'm blogging and talking about the Internet and Healthcare, about Health2.0 and about the thing that Health2.0 is much more than an internet-application, than something of geeks (who are sitting 24/7 after their pc and playing warcraft or something). It's a movement of people who are willing to change the relationships in healthcare, to change the paradigm and to get something started. Thanks to you both we did something start today. The room at the Volkskrantbuilding had no windows, no view on the outside, but the energy and vibe was of people who are willing to think different and do things different. It was a room with a view!"

It was indeed, Martijn, a room with an incredible view.

Beste to all, and thanks for your help in wishing the birth of the Health 2.0 movement in Holland a hearty 'succes'. There's plenty more to be done, and we look forward to being your 'partners in improving patient-centric care.'

- The Health 2.0 NL Team