As shown on page 5, 65% of physicians are concerned about the availability of trustworthy medical information online for their patients. To delve even deeper into their perceptions and usage of the Internet/Websites, Guideline asked physicians the following questions:

• How important is the Internet for you personally for learning about medications and diseases?
• How important is the Internet for your patients for learning about medications and diseases?

Even for their patients, let alone for themselves, few physicians view the Internet/Websites as extremely or very important in learning about medications/diseases.

In actuality, however, for the majority of patients the Internet/Websites play a critical role in learning about medications/diseases.

In the Guideline survey, 69% of consumers indicated they use the Internet to learn about medications/diseases.

A2007 Burst Media study found that one in three respondents used the Internet before visiting a healthcare professional. Following an appointment, 44% use the Internet to further research health topics discussed at the visit.

Increasing reliance on the Internet for health information has led to the creation of new Websites, technologies, and programs to meet patients’ needs:

• Physicians have the opportunity to embed YouTube-hosted video into their iHealth practice Websites. These videos allow physicians to educate patients, explain treatment plans or procedures, and introduce their practices to new patients.
• At DailyStrength.org, people can choose among 500 support groups — from celiac disease to pulmonary fibrosis — and create an online journal to chronicle their disease and send electronic hugs to other members.
• The new ZocDoc.com allows patients to book appointments online, and RateMDs.com allows patients to post anonymous evaluations of their doctors online for others to view.

According to the Guideline survey, the most popular types of Websites visited are sites such as WebMD, trailed by health organization Websites, Websites linking people together who suffer from a disease/ailment, and Internet pharmacy Websites, such as Drugstore.com. Relatively few consumers (13% or less) visit pharmaceutical company Websites, the FDA Website, or other health-related Websites.

The reluctance of consumers to use pharmaceutical Websites is apparently linked to consumer doubts about the reliability and unbiased nature of the information they communicate.

The highest rated Websites are those of foundations, WebMD.com, FDA, and Websites linking people who suffer from the same disease/ailment. Pharmaceutical company Websites tend to be rated lowest among the types of Websites evaluated.