Primary Care Associates, P.C. - Healthy Surfing on the Internet

Primary Care Associates, P.C.
AnMed Health Campus
2000 East Greenville Street
Suite 1600
Anderson, South Carolina 29621
Telephone: 864.226.9193

Partners Health Initiative Column

HEALTHY SURFING ON THE INTERNET

Has WebMD made a house call on you?

If you are like millions of Americans, you have visited the WebMD website or other sites on the Internet to get answers to your health questions. A Louis Harris poll released last August said 98 million Americans had used the Internet the previous year to search for health care information. They accounted for roughly 86 percent of the Internet's users.

The good news is the Internet can be a valuable source of good information. The bad news is there is a lot of unreliable information on the Internet, and many people are being suckered in by sites that claim miraculous cures to their problems. The good news is there are a number of reputable sites that can help you. The problem: How do you distinguish good from bad?

as part of the Partners Health Initiative, Partners for a Healthy Community is trying to help you do that. Just go to the Partners web site, www.healthy-community.org, and click "Health Questions?" on the home page. You may then be asked to give your zip code and the health problem you are researching before advancing to the next page.

At the "Health Questions?" page, you will see links to a large number of reliable health sites, including WebMD and drkoop.com. Other links will take you to sites run by the federal government's Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and National Library of Medicine, as well as the American Medical Association, the Mayo Clinic and reputable private companies. At the top of the list is AccentHealth, which has a Quick Diagnosis feature to help you pinpoint your problem and its treatment. This feature draws on the Healthwise Knowledgebase® Software, developed by the same people who write and publish the Healthwise® Handbook.

You may decide to strike out on your own to find answers to your questions. Remember these tips for safe health surfing:

DO
Look for web addresses that end in "gov," meaning they are run by the federal government
Seek information with a date attached, so you'll know you are getting current information
Look for reputable "brand names," such as the American Medical Association or other professional medical associations. Many reputable sites subscribe to the honor code of the Health on the Net Foundation and will display their symbol.
Visit the www.quackwatch.com site for tips on detecting medical scams on and off the Internet

DON'T
Fall for uncheckable come-ons, such as "As Seen on TV!" or personal testimonials with no scientific backing or wild promises in capital letters (MIRACLE CURE!!!)
Buy things from sites that boost only a particular product or cure
Believe promises that only a small number of people are getting the offer. If it's on the Internet, millions of people are getting the offer.

For immediate answers to your health questions, call the Partners Nursewise Line at 261-2001 in Anderson County, or toll-free, 1-888-525-1333 in Oconee, Pickens or Hart counties. The service is confidential and open 24 hours a day.

All products mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.

Questions or problems regarding this intranet site should be directed to mcrowley@anmed.com
Copyright © 2000-2001 Primary Care Associates, P.C. All rights reserved.
Last modified: Tuesday, 29 May 2001 10:34 PM -0400

Disclaimer: All material provided in the Primary Care Associates Web Site is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your own physician, or if you're a patient of Primary Care Associates, consult with us regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical conditions. Many of the links and articles you'll read in our site do not necessarily agree with our opinions, but we will provide this information using your own discretion.