Online Medical Resources

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In the January 2010 issue of The Costco Connection there was an article on how more people are turning to the web for medical advice. The article states that 61 percent of individuals are using the Internet to find health information.

The couple interviewed for the article discuss how they turned to the Internet when their son was diagnosed with autism. The mother states, “By going online, we definitely went to the doctor armed with more information. It helped guide our questions, and we got better answers and a more customized treatment plan for [our son].” Shapin, Alice, The Costco Connection, January 2010.

The Medical Library Association (MLA) found that consumers who search online for information about their medical issues tend to be more satisfied with their overall medical experience. These consumers tend to be very knowledgeable about their issues and therefore, tend to be better health care consumers. Shapin, Alice, The Costco Connection, January 2010.

When we were going through our fertility treatments we used the Internet to learn about our options, different doctors, etc. We were fairly well educated before we had our first appointment with the RE, which made our experience so much more comfortable. The terminology was familiar and we were not intimated. In turn, the doctor appreciated that we understood the procedure and it made his job easier. When our twin girls were born premature we didn’t turn to the Internet, but instead used the nurses and doctors as our source for gathering information about our girls conditions and status. I always say that knowledge is power, and this is especially true in health care matters.

When you are searching online for information be sure to consider the source. Sites that are offering products for sale might be biased toward the product(s) they are selling. Generally, government, non-profit, and educational institutions provide the most unbiased information about health information.

The article offered these three medical sources:
1. MedlinePlus (http://medlineplus.gov)
2. Healthfinder.gov (http://www.healthfinder.gov)
3. Medical Library Association (http://www.mlanet.org/resources/consumr_index.html)
Shapin, Alice, The Costco Connection, January 2010.