Majority Use Online Health Sites Before and After Visit to the Doctor

Majority Use Online Health Sites Before and After Visit to the Doctor : "We knew the number of people going online for health research is constantly growing, but these recent stats are pretty astounding: more than three-quarters of Internet users in the United States go online for health information, according to Burst Media. It looks like people in the droves are turning to online resources to learn more about conditions, procedures and medications. Is it a flawed healthcare system that drives people online? Speaking from personal experience and that of friends around me, we’ve often found hospital doctors too busy to explain illnesses and conditions that unwell family and friends are being treated for in hospital. Niche health sites, such as Healthline, Quality Health and WebMD have helped me decipher the “mumbo jumbo” of medical terms thrown at me, so I’ve been able to go back to the doctors with meaningful questions. And it seems my experience is one that many have. Of the BurstMedia respondents that go online for health research, more than one-third researched health topics online before visiting a medical professional. After a medical appointment, 43.5% of respondents went online to learn more."