Use of the Internet and E-mail for Health Care Information

Abstract

The Internet has been recognized for many years as an important, if concerning, mechanism for transforming medical care.^1-6 While questions remain about its limitations,⁷ concerns regarding misinformation,^3,8-13 and potential difficulties with the confidentiality of personal information,^14,15 the Internet appears to have promise as a means to disseminate information about health and health care, enhance communication, and facilitate a wide range of interactions between patients and the health care delivery system. These kinds of changes could produce important improvements in health care and, ultimately, the health of the population. Understanding the extent to which the Internet is being used for health purposes and the effects it has on health care use would help identify the extent to which these benefits are being realized and provide a context for fruitful discussions of the current and future role of the Internet in health care.