Although hospital superbugs may be infamous, we haven’t yet seen a branded, integral B2C approach to their prevention. Sold and marketed to consumers instead of to health institutions, PatientPak is a collection of antimicrobial and other hygiene items for those planning a hospital visit. Its aim: to kill 99.99% of bugs, including nasties such as MRSA, salmonella and E. coli.

GBP 16 buys a set of fourteen different germ prevention items to be used during a hospital stay, ranging from hand, surface and fabric sanitizing sprays to an advice leaflet, disposable pen and polite bedside sign to remind others to wash their hands.

PatientPak was made available from UK stockists such as Amazon.co.uk, Tesco and Mothercare late last year. Separately, much of the pack’s contents are readily available, but by bundling a range of products for a specific purpose, the brand has created a new product that should speak both to consumers’ worries and to their desire for convenience. One to launch locally?

Website: www.patientpak.com
Contact: info@patientpak.com

Spotted by: Marko Balabanovic

For many passionate runners, listening to the right music is the key to a good workout. No real surprise, then, that a number of services have popped up to help runners get the best mix for them.

UK-based AudioFuel, for example, offers 20-, 30- and 40-minute compilations of music designed to fuel workouts with varying levels of intensity. Since the runner's foot typically meets the pavement on each beat, each AudioFuel compilation comes with a graph illustrating the number of beats per minute on each included track, thereby giving an indication of the compilation's intensity. Voice-over coaching, meanwhile, includes counting aloud to the beat, motivational statements and tips on running style. Warm-up and cool-down guidance is also included, as is a printable guide to running and related issues. Starting this month, a range of programs will provide workout sessions designed with a particular goal in mind, such as getting fit for the first time or training for a specific event. Prices range from GBP 5 to GBP 10 for AudioFuel's compilations.

MP3 Running, meanwhile, offers tracks both with and without voice-over coaching to help runners get the most out of their training sessions. A variety of paces and intensity levels are available, as are both male and female coaching voices, training packages and new tracks each month. Packages are available for 30, 45 and 60-minute sessions; pricing begins at USD 5.99.

It's a fitness-challenged world out there, so anything that helps consumers achieve their goals is bound to be met with a warm reception. Possibilities for this one? How about offering something like it as a perk for members of a health club, running group or other fitness-related organization, possibly sponsored by a well-known fitness brand? Or, to return to one of our favourite themes, how about letting customers design their own....? (Related: Gyms for kids use gaming to keep them hooked — More sightseeing on the run.)

Website: www.audiofuel.co.uk — www.mp3running.com
Contact: contact@audiofuel.co.uk — www.mp3running.com/contact.htm

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

Last summer we wrote about Lifebooker, a free service that lets users search, browse and book discounted appointments at health and beauty spots in New York City. In much the same vein—and in the same city—ZocDoc brings similar time-saving capabilities to the booking of appointments with doctors and dentists.

Aiming to make healthcare simpler, ZocDoc lets users make appointments with the Big Apple's dentists and doctors instantly and online, 24/7. Users simply search for the type of appointment they need—the site currently offers primary care, dermatology, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopedics, OB/GYN and dentistry—and they get a list of immediately bookable appointments in their area. Background details and patient reviews are available for each doctor and dentist listed on the site, and ZocDoc can also filter results by location and insurance accepted. Launched into beta in late 2007, the site is free to use.

Last month, ZocDoc was named the winner of the Forbes.com Boost Your Business Contest. And, of particular note for Springwise readers, the site is working with Dr. Jay Parkinson—whose ideas for Web 2.0 medicine we've covered twice before—with an API for Hello Health's platform. One to partner with or emulate in other parts of the world....? (Related: Online shopping for medical services.)

Website: www.zocdoc.com
Contact: service@zocdoc.com

Spotted by: Susan Johnston

The first few days and weeks of any new year are notorious for testing—and too often defeating—the resolve of resolution-makers around the world. Similar to Pfizer's recent Times Square effort aimed at those trying to quit smoking, a new site out of Estonia uses financial incentives and a social approach to help make consumers' resolutions stick.

Tallinn-based Pledgehammer gives people a way to make their resolutions public, whether it's stopping smoking, losing 20 lbs. or—to take an example from the more than 100 on the site—taking better care of one's tractor. When they make their pledge, users are asked to choose a deadline—say, by a year from today—as well as some amount of money to give to charity should they fail to keep their promise. Members of the site can create profiles and then post updates of their progress toward their goal over time, as well as cheering other people's efforts. They can also edit or delete their vow if they get cold feet. Otherwise, when their deadline arrives, Pledgehammer sends users an e-mail asking if they kept to their vow. If they admit that they didn't, it directs them to the websites of its charity partners, where they can make their donation—a small part of which gets paid back to Pledgehammer, the site says. Participating charities currently include ChildLine, PDSA and the World Land Trust.

The site explains: "This way your unsuccessful pledge may help to save the rainforest or support families in third world countries, making it not all that unsuccessful after all."

Similar in some ways also to WeightNags, which we covered last year, Pledgehammer promises to transform consumers' persistent challenges into a win-win-win that benefits those in need as well. Were the site broken down by resolution type—a section for those who want to quit smoking, say, and another for those aiming to exercise or lose weight—it seems to us the community and advertising possibilities would multiply. One to emulate in the niche of your choice....?

Website: www.pledgehammer.com
Contact: info@pledgehammer.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Hobbyist leagues have long offered amateur athletes a way to enjoy their favourite sport—whether it's hockey, baseball or bowling—in an organized way. It wasn't until recently, however, that amateur rock musicians had something similar.

The League of Rock is a music-based community that lets hobbyist rock musicians join a band for 10-week sessions. Designed for people with day jobs in other professions, the group lets members enjoy playing in authentic rehearsal spaces, live venues and recording studios, as well as participating in hands-on workshops with a long list of professionals including Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, Robin Le Mesurier of Rod Stewart fame, Rik Emmett of Triumph and Dan Clancy of Lighthouse. Each session costs CDN 98 per week, and members begin by picking a name for their band along with three songs to focus on. The ensuing weeks include rehearsals, workshops, and live performances, culminating with a studio session to record the band's work on CD and a showcase performance that's open to the public. The League of Rock's first chapter is about to celebrate its second anniversary in Toronto, and other chapters are planned for Vancouver, Winnipeg and St. Johns in Canada, along with major American and European markets, the group says. League of Rock also offers music-based incentive and rewards events for corporate clients. Sponsors include Gibson, Blackberry and the Toronto Argonauts.

The lesson to be learned? Find a part of Generation C that doesn't yet have a full-fledged outlet for its content-producing proclivities, and make it happen. Don't forget to add community and some status stories through professional involvement. Next, open the doors and stand back, because the resulting mix is likely to be a hit! ;-) (Related: Music school for generation YouTube.)

Website: www.leagueofrock.com
Contact: info@leagueofrock.com