Dear Patient,
In addition to visits to a Physician's Office, you may be utilizing Internet information to help you maintain good health. I commend you for your responsible attitude of self-care. As an Internet Consumer, myself, I realize that much of the online information is excellent but some may be downright dangerous for patients.
I recently ran across a great resource for evaluating information from the Internet in the April edition of Medical Economics (Orthopedic Surgery Edition). In the article, George D.Lundberd, M.D., former editor of The Journal of the American Medical Association, and health journalist William M. Silberg urge that we consider any online information unreliable unless we can answer the following:
1. Who wrote what you're reading? The site should contain the name of a real person.
2. Where does that person work? A university? A Web business? A product manufacturer? Can you easily find that information on the site?
3. Was the information created for the site? If not, is there clear attribution showing where the information originated?
4. Who owns the site, and who pays for it? The source of money and ownership should be clearly identified.
5. Can you tell when the article was posted, whether it has been updated, and when?
If answers to these 5 questions are difficult to obtain, you may want to search for another site. And remember, even if you can answer all of these questions, there is no guarantee that the information is is accurate and unbiased. I would be happy to discuss any questions you have about information you find on the Net.
To your Health!
Tim Brox, M.D.