In a recent On the Net column (CMAJ 2001;164[6]:860), Dr. Michelle Greiver described the Web site she designed to tell patients about her practice. Now an American otolaryngologist has asked patients what they actually want to see on physician-designed Web sites.
At the recent meeting of the Head and Neck Surgery Foundation of the American Academy of Otolaryngology (www.entnet.org), Dr. Steven Mobley presented results from his ongoing study of Internet use by otolaryngology patients.
Using a standardized survey, he and his colleagues asked patients to tell them how they currently use the Internet. In addition, the patients were asked what they would actually like to see on the Internet.
Mobley found that age appears to have no impact on Internet use. Older patients used it as often as younger ones to troll for health information, but usage did increase according to income level.
Respondents had used the Internet 1.9 times during the past year to search for health information; 41% reported they looked for information about a specific symptom or diagnosis. Twenty-one percent looked for a physician on the Internet, but 30% of their searches were unsuccessful.
Mobley determined that patients want to learn details of their physician's education, experience and malpractice record. They also want to make appointments over the Internet and to access things like laboratory and test results.
He concluded that physicians' most vital role in dealing with patients via the Internet is to provide information that is reliable, secure and — above all — useful.
For more information about what details physicians should provide on their Web sites, visit Medscape's primer (www.medscape.com/medscape/homepages), which includes a sample home page.
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Michael OReilly
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