Since the Internet era began, talk of 'disintermediation' has flown about...how entire industries will be revolutionized by the technology.
If there's one thing I've figured out about technology it's that many of the changes I foresee do occur...it's just that they take longer than expected. My start-up (basically a social networking local commerce site) is an example of my inability to time the technology to the wave.
But that doesn't mean the wave isn't going to come.
I heard an ad on the radio today for Aetna...they are publishing doctor ratings and rates on their websites so companies can make better purchasing decisions about their healthcare for their employees.
If you look at your Statement of Benefits when you get your insurance paperwork, you'll see what the doctors charge and what insurance pays. You'll see the markup is anywhere from 50% to 250%. That is just the beginning of power and transparency.
The economics of healthcare are definitely going to shift to the consumer.
The music industry is the best one to watch, in my opinion, but journalism (rise of blogs, falling newspaper subscriptions), politics (moveon.org), and real estate are also good. Waiting to see how the legal profession will get played.
Bottom line: your industry (and mine) is going to get hit by the great democratizing wave of technology.
The questions to answer: How? And what are you doing now to prepare?
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