Physician Internet Use - 39% Email Patients
In a survey by Jupiter Research reported by iHealthbeat, the range of Internet usage is reported with some changes since one year ago. 89% this year vs 75% the previous year reported using the Internet for researching clinical information. While this doesn't imply diagnosis via Google, it does show a continued growth toward the physician not using the Internet as the exception. Reading journals and communication with colleagues also showed increases - could this imply the future of the medical journal and hope for physician social networking, as in Sermo and Within3?
Finally, patient-oriented activities, while not scoring as high, had respectable increases - 69% searching for patient education materials and 39% (almost double in one year) emailing patients, we hope securely.
Technorati: Medicine 2.0
Finally, patient-oriented activities, while not scoring as high, had respectable increases - 69% searching for patient education materials and 39% (almost double in one year) emailing patients, we hope securely.
Technorati: Medicine 2.0
All indicators of physicians using the Internet have been escalating for quite some time. The numbers are clear - MDs are all over online, relying on it for their practice, etc... Usage of online medical journals in particular have been increasing at double digit rates for the past three years (see Manhattan Research data). The only missing piece, is pharmaceutical companies embracing the web as a tool to reach physicians effectively. The percent of time the Internet captures as the media of choice for physicians radically dwarfs the percent of the marketing budget being allocated to the Internet as a communication channel with key physicians.
R.J. Lewis
President & CEO
www.e-healthcaresolutions.com>e-Healthcare Solutions
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Another useful web based function is the ability to communicate with patients and share information with other physicians on line instead of by mail or phone. A number of web sites provide this service, including www.housedoc.us, which is private and secure, HIPAA compliant, free, and easy to use.
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