“The whitepaper, e-Patients: How they can help us heal health care, authored by the late Tom Ferguson, MD, is the foundation for the founding of the Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM). After his 15 year battle with multiple myeloma ended in 2006, the group of advisors Doc Tom had assembled decided to ensure that his work and vision would live on. They founded the Journal of Participatory Medicine and the Society so that the world would learn more about participatory medicine:

Participatory Medicine is a movement in which patients and health professionals actively collaborate and encourage one another as full partners in healthcare.”