According to a 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey carried out in the United States, more and more patients are looking for information before talking to their doctors.  And where they are looking is the internet.

With the proliferation of health related sites in North America, and around the world, people are taking advantage of the anonymity, (relatively) free access and immediacy of available answers of “Ask the expert” type internet services.

Sites such as Healthy Ontario that offer “Ask an Expert” interactions, and provides information on an A to Z range of health conditions and related topics, are providing the general public access to information that was previously relegated to reference libraries and doctors’ offices.  

Consumers of this ehealth information are a savvy bunch, paying attention to the source of the information, as well as who is hosting the site.  Users appear to appreciate the convenience of an electronic “second opinion” enough to accept that pharmaceutical sponsorship of such sites is unavoidable.  With the validity of information provided “guaranteed” by a recognized field expert visitors to these sites are prepared to accept an advertisement here or there across the site.

These interactive health-related sites are a great tool for medical administrator types as well.  This type of Internet health service offers those in charge of addressing the medical needs and concerns of citizens a quantifiable and simple source of information that identifies what is top of mind medically for their constituents.