Information technology has dramatically changed our lives in areas ranging from commerce and entertainment to voting. Now, policy advocates and government officials hope to bring the benefits of enhanced information technology to health care. Already, consumers can access a tremendous amount of medical information online. Some physicians encourage patients to use email or web messaging to manage simple medical issues. Increasingly, health care products can be purchased electronically. Yet the promise of e-health remains largely unfulfilled. Digital Medicine investigates the factors limiting digital technology's ability to remake health care. It explores the political, social, and ethical challenges presented by online health care, as well as the impact that racial, ethnic, and other disparities are having on the e-health revolution. It examines the accessibility of health-related websites for different populations and asks how we can close access gaps and ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of the information presented online. Darrell West and Edward Miller use multiple sources, including original survey research and website analysis, to study the content, sponsorship status, and public usage of health care-related websites, as well as the relationship between e-health utilization and attitudes about health care in the United States. They also explore the use of health information technology in other countries. The result is an important contribution to our understanding of health information innovation in America and around the world.

Providing a practical introduction to learning, researching, and communicating by implementing the wealth of information available to health professionals on the internet. A concise and uncomplicated guide shows readers how to access, interpret, and apply information from the often intimidating world of the internet. This new text is essential in the ever-changing modern world of medicine.

Welcome to Your health in the Information Age - How You And Your Doctor Can Work Together. This book has been written for the 120 million people in the USA who have already used the Internet to find health information for themselves or a loved one, and for the tens of millions of others whose medical records are now kept electronically by their doctor. This book is for all those who want to use the internet to improve their health, who want to improve their relationship with their doctor, and who want to use the power of knowledge gained from their doctor and the Internet, to improve their health. It is written in a practical way to allow you to understand and select the right type of health information and use it in your relationship with your doctor in a way that is most helpful for you.

The Internet and Health Care: Theory, Research, and Practice presents an in-depth introduction to the field of health care and the Internet, from international and interdisciplinary perspectives. It combines expertise in the areas of the social sciences, medicine, policy, and systems analysis. With an international collection of contributors, it provides a current examination of key issues and research projects in the area. Methods and data used in the chapters include personal interviews, focus groups, observations, regional and national surveys, online transcript analysis, and much more. Sections in the book cover: *e-Health trends and theory; *searching, discussing, and evaluating online health information at the individual level of analysis; *discussing health information at the group or community level; and *implementing health information systems at the regional and social level. The Internet and Health Care will prove useful for university educators and students in the social, public health, and medical disciplines, including Internet researchers. It is also oriented to professionals in many disciplines who will appreciate an integrative theoretical, empirical, and critical analysis of the subject matter, including developers and providers of online health information.

This new guide focuses on the different uses and applications of biomedical information resources available on the Internet. It explains not only how to find the best information resources quickly and effectively, but also how to customise Internet tools to your own personal requirements. Both authors have been associated with the development of OMNI (Organising Medical Networked Information) and BIOME. Partial contents: Introduction; Electronic communication; Discussion lists and electronic fora; Electronic journals and newsletters; Teaching material and continuing medical education; Health care information; Consumer health information; Meetings and conferences; Grants and jobs; Directories of research projects and expertise; Search strategies; Customising your browser; Creating your own home pages.

This guide focuses on the different uses and applications of biomedical information resources available on the Internet. It explains how to find the best information resources quickly and effectively, and how to customize Internet tools to the user's personal requirements.

The accessibility of health information on the Internet has revolutionized access to clinical information for health practitioners and patients. This access to information has the potential to make a major contribution to health care. However, the effective use of this accessibility depends on an understanding of all the issues involved, from the underlying technologies and economic pressures, to questions of how best to manage quality and privacy, how people seek and use information, and what the barriers to its use are. Cullen's book also examines the extent of health information on the Internet, the providers of websites and their content, and outlines the nature of the paradigm shift affecting knowledge in the health sector.

Sick and tired of trying to muddle through the enormous volume of confusing health information on the web? Finding it impossible to distinguish factual remedies from contrived marketing ploys? Searching the Web for Health is the up-to-date resource you can rely on to show you how to get the most out of surfing the web for the health information you need. Whether you want to relieve a bad cough or find the most advanced research on cancer treatment, Searching the Web for Health will help you separate fact from fiction and give you the strategies, knowledge, and expert resources you need to navigate through the web with ease and confidence. Written by a technology professional and consumer health advocate, Searching the Web for Health weeds out the medical miracles from the medical marketing including: 400+hospital, university, and private company websites all actively involved in cutting-edge health care Search engines and directories to steer you towards finding your answers Health information on the web Search techniques With Searching the Web for Health, you can now actively and informatively contribute to the medical decisions that affect your life!

This book is aimed at anyone who wants to access medical information online but doesn't know how and has no specialist computer knowledge. It gives a general introduction to the Internet along with detailed medical examples.

Does the Internet offer anything besides cybermalls and computer games? Is there anything out there for physicians? As Roger Smith and Margaret Edwards demonstrate in The Internet for Physicians, 2nd edition, the answer is a resounding "YES!" The authors describe the Internet in clear, easy-to-read language, how it is useful to the physician in practice, how to employ its various tools, and what hardware and software are required to "log on". Building on the success of the 1st edition, The Internet for Physicians, 2nd edition, continues to provide thorough coverage of Internet basics and now includes all-new chapters on advanced issues and options facing the seasoned surfer. Updates address choosing a service provider, search secrets, designing a personal web page, html programming, Internet security, laptop vs desktop, and hardware decisions such as choosing a platform. An expanded glossary explains Internet-related terms and a detailed bibliography suggests further reading. Additionally, the book offers an extensive directory of over 600 Internet medical resources, organized by disease and medical specialty, for both physicians and patients. With each site personally reviewed by Smith, it is a treasure trove of the Internet information available to doctors. What's more, a CD-ROM component brings the reader hypertext links to websites with the click of a mouse. Intelligent, informative, and witty, The Internet for Physicians, 2nd edition, offers medical professionals essential knowledge to keep their practices progressive, professional, and cutting-edge.