If Twitter can be used to track packages, publish school menus and crowdfund startups, why not help tackle the US healthcare crisis too? Cell phones are already changing the way healthcare is delivered in the developing world, after all, and now Twitter promises to transform the delivery of healthcare information for stateside consumers.

ASKch is a new service from Nashville-based healthcare information provider Change:Healthcare that allows users to send quick healthcare questions via Twitter and have them answered within 60 seconds. Consumers can simply tweet a question such as, “what is diabetes” to @askch, which is now in beta; in return, they get a short description of the disease and a link to more information. Those seeking prescription pricing information in a particular ZIP code area, on the other hand, can tweet “cost of celebrex near 37209,” prompting the service to tweet back, “average price of $163 in 37209″ in return. Questions must be formatted according to predefined types, which currently include: what is (health issue); what is (drug name); cost of (drug name) near (zipcode); generic for (drug name); and generic discounts for (drug name) near (zipcode). Over time, however, Change:Healthcare plans to expand those possibilities.

The new application is just the first phase of what will ultimately be a much larger service from Change:Healthcare that aims to help consumers "be more informed and potentially save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars," the company says. Where else could Twitter be used to answer consumers' standard questions quickly and in real time...? (Related: In-home STD tests with results by text message.)

Website: ask.changehealthcare.com
Contact: company.changehealthcare.com/contact

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann

Fundraising for charity is difficult enough in the best of times, but during a recession it's understandably harder then ever to persuade potential donors to part with their hard-won cash. Enter Kidonaki, a Belgian site that has come up with a way for consumers to help finance the causes they care about by buying and selling unused stuff.

Focused on assisting the efforts of nonprofits headquartered in Belgium—regardless of where they bestow their aid—Kidonaki (from 'qui donne à qui') is essentially an online auction where all proceeds go towards the participating nonprofits. Charitable organizations approved to register with the site are given a space to promote their efforts, including the opportunity to highlight particular projects they're involved in. Consumers, meanwhile, can use the site to list items they'd like to sell, whether it's jewelry, baby items or tickets for travel. In doing so, they also select an organization they'd like to help—current examples include the creation of a small biogas plant in Congo, the efforts of Sister Emmanuelle in Cairo or stories for children in Belgian hospitals. It's free to list items, and no commission is charged on purchases; rather, Kidonaki is supported through an annual fee paid by the participating associations (depending on the number of workers, according to a report on RTBF) and via advertising and sponsorships. Most importantly, when an item is sold, all proceeds go to the organization the seller selected to support. In other words, it's a win-win-win: buyer gets rid of stuff, seller gets something new, and nonprofit gets the cash.

More than EUR 2,000 has been collected for charities since the site's launch in September. One to sponsor, get involved in, or emulate for a new model of giving in your neck of the woods...?

Website: www.kidonaki.be
Contact: info@kidonaki.be

Spotted by: Sara Borremans

It's not uncommon to find museums dedicated to showcasing local history; what's less common is to find a city museum constructed almost entirely of locally found abandoned objects. Sure enough, though, that's just the premise behind St. Louis's City Museum, a hyperlocal attraction that offers up a heaping helping of (still) made here appeal.

Housed in a 600,000-square-foot building that used to be St. Louis's International Shoe Company, City Museum is an eclectic mixture of children's playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion and architectural marvel made out of unique, found objects. The museum actually opened its doors back in 1997 and is the brainchild of internationally acclaimed artist Bob Cassilly, a classically trained sculptor and serial entrepreneur whose crew of 20 artisans have constructed the museum from the very stuff of the city. Old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, miles of tile and even two abandoned airplanes are now part of the City Museum, which continues its ongoing salvage efforts within the bounds of the city. A collection of vintage shoelace machines from the St. Louis-based Alox Manufacturing Company are still put to work at the museum, while an Enchanted Caves exhibit makes the most of the spiral conveyor tunnel system used by the building's former tenant.

Yes, we realize this doesn't entirely fit our regular focus on "new" and "business", but its an inspiring example of a rigorous approach to being a locally-driven organization. In this era of Starbucks, H&M and countless other homogenizing forces, consumers value more than ever the details that make different parts of the world unique. Focus on the local, and you may just set yourself apart! ;-) (Related: Used cooking oil for ultra-local candlemaking in Tokyo — Mass-made to order, here.)

Website: www.citymuseum.org
Contact: info@citymuseum.org

Spotted by: Rick Noyes

We've seen several "buy one, donate one" approaches to charity over the past few years, and recently one of our spotters alerted us to an initiative that brings the concept to baby clothing.

Australian Baby Teresa manufactures and sells a variety of 100% cotton onesies for babies. Both short- and long-sleeved versions are available, priced beginning at AUD 29.95 including GST. For each one purchased, Baby Teresa donates another to a baby in need somewhere in the world. Following its September launch, the company's first round of donations went to benevolent organisations in its home state of Tasmania that assist mothers with newborns in need; its second one, meanwhile, was in Uganda. Ultimately, Baby Teresa hopes to help clothe a baby in every country in the world.

A shining example of Generation G benevolence, Baby Teresa currently seeks stockists as well as travellers planning to visit countries in need for the purposes of distributing donated suits. One to sponsor, emulate or otherwise get involved in...? (Related: Buy one house, give one free — Matching program doubles Kiva loans — Shoes for good.)

Website: www.baby-teresa.com
Contact: shop@baby-teresa.com

Spotted by: Peter Wallhead

Ireland has been particularly hard-hit by the current economic recession, spurring initiatives like the recent iQ Prize, whereby Dublin internet consultancy iQ Content awarded EUR 10,000 to a promising young Irish startup as a way to help kick-start the country's recovery. Proving once again that there are few things as contagious as a good idea, Outvesting has now launched a similar effort, only this time it's a grassroots one that's using a crowdfunding approach via Twitter.

Outvesting aims to give EUR 5,000 with no strings attached to an Irish startup. To make that possible, it's using Twitter to invite interested participants to contribute EUR 50 each towards the effort. Once EUR 5,000 has been raised—last week it was already up to EUR 4,500—Outvesting will announce how startups can apply. Those who donate to the fund, meanwhile, will get more than just good karma in return—they'll also get the chance to vote on which startup wins the money.

There's no arguing with corporate donations like iQ Content's, but those tend to be limited in number; crowdfunding approaches, on the other hand, are virtually limitless in what they can achieve. Combine the power of the crowds with the reach of Twitter, and there's no telling how far an effort can go. One to replicate in a recession-weary community near you...? (Related: Free Chinese lessons for the Irish — Crowdsourcing economic solutions for Ireland.)

Website: www.outvesting.org
Contact: twitter.com/outvesting — johnkeyes@gmail.com

Spotted by: AJ O'Flaherty