Online Resources and Medical Advice

The internet is quickly becoming a top resource for medical information and online medical advice.

The internet is an extensive library of information, and today's internet users take full advantage of its wealth of resources. Beyond serving as entertainment and a means of communication, online educational resources have proven useful for students and people wishing to expand their education.

This information is also coming to be regarded as a top source of medical knowledge and advice. Sites like WebMD and The Mayo Clinic allow users to research medical conditions, discover what their symptoms mean, and learn more about the human body from their computers. Users can also research different drugs and their side effects. What sets this information apart from that found in a library or by consulting with a physician is its accessibility: people are afforded information they would not have had within easy reach before.

Some online services, like Activ Doctors Online, are offering online medical advice through an actual physician looking over their file – offering today's medically interested internet user the opportunity to gain insight into their condition and learn about medical options with a real physician from home and on the computer. These online medical services mark a new level of internet adoption and usage in the home. Whereas some resources may not be fully trusted, communicating with a doctor on an official website makes for a more honest experience. Additionally, resources on a widely trusted medical website may not be pertinent to every case – there may be special circumstances, or diagnosis and treatment may depend on very small factors.

With an online medical opinion, the patient can have an actual doctor review their records and interpret their case. This allows the doctor to form an opinion and make recommendations – something that a website cannot do. The advent of medical information online means a new purpose and a new use for the internet in the American home.