By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    stress management for healthcare workers
    3 Tips For Healthcare Professionals: How To Stay Beautiful, Healthy, and Happy
    November 2, 2021
    importance of relaxing on the weekend for your health
    Importance of Relaxing During the Weekend for Optimal Health
    March 25, 2022
    LASIK Eye Surgery
    What Is LASIK Eye Surgery?
    May 16, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Heroism in Harm’s Way
    February 21, 2015
    5 Things Every Trainee GP Should Know
    August 27, 2019
    Top 5 Facts About CPPA Accreditation
    April 9, 2015
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Searching Online for Health Information
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > Searching Online for Health Information
BusinessNewsSocial Media

Searching Online for Health Information

Nrip Nihalani
Nrip Nihalani
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Many Physicians nowadays are relying on Google to help them find information sources which help them diagnose or treat their most difficult cases. It’s no surprise then that a large number of physicians feel that regularly accessing the Internet has helped improve their practice as well as patient care.

Many Physicians nowadays are relying on Google to help them find information sources which help them diagnose or treat their most difficult cases. It’s no surprise then that a large number of physicians feel that regularly accessing the Internet has helped improve their practice as well as patient care.

A study by Google released in November 2009, found that 86% of physicians use the Internet to gather health, medical or prescription drug information, and 71% said they start with a search engine. It further showed that 57% use search terms related to conditions, 36% use terms related to treatments and trials, and 33% look for branded medication.

A more recent survey by Wolters Kluwer Health found that two-thirds of physicians use Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo to look for information related to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

More Read

Shannon Morris patient experience
Leveraging the Power of Peer Coaches, Role Models and Grassroots Champions
How a Common Diagnosis Makes the Miles Disappear
Taking Patient Engagement Into the Shark Tank
The Curious History of Hashtags Plus Six Useful Resources
The Big Free-Market Impact of the Affordable Care Act

In this article we look at ways to locate Quality Health Information Online. We will look at the popular search engines and then list popular sites catering to different categories of Health Information.  

Search Engines:
A search engine is a system that searches the Web. Search Engines help users sort through the huge amounts of information on the Web to find what they are looking for. Users type-in words or phrases, and the search engine looks for those words or phrases in Web sites.A broad search engine is not recommended to locate health information, but it is helpful to find specific websites which contain quality health information. Also, google and other search engines serve as a great starting point in case you forget the URL of a previously visited website.

  1. Google  http://www.google.com/
  2. Bing http://www.bing.com
  3. Yahoo http://www.yahoo.com
  4. Search within HonCode Certified Websites: http://www.hon.ch/HONsearch/Pro/hunt.html

Patient Health Information Sites:
Searching medical literature is important to get information on clinical terms, symptoms and treatment options. Patients frequently use websites to locate health information. This is a cause of concern for many physicians as a misinformed patient may end up being their biggest woe. 
As such it is important that physicians guide them in the direction of Websites with High quality and authentic information.  Here is a small list of such websites.

  1. MedlinePlus http://medlineplus.gov/
  2. Merck Manual: Home Edition for Patients http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/index.html
  3. Merck Manual: Online Medical Library for Professionals http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/index.html
  4. MedicineNet http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp
  5. Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/

Sites Specifically tailored to Medical Students

  1. Student Doctor Network: http://studentdoctor.net/
  2. E-Meducation http://www.e-meducation.org/

Sites which explain Medical Terms:

  1. MedTerms: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/hp.asp
  2. MedicalLexicon : http://www.medilexicon.com/

Websites which provide Information related to Medications:
The following websites contain information about  prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines which includes side effects, common dosages, drug-drug interactions, special precautions and more.

  1. MedlinePlus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html
  2. DailyMed http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/
  3. Drugs.com http://www.drugs.com/
  4. FDA Index to Drug Safety Information http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm111085.htm

Medical Journals and Articles

  1. PubMed http://pubmed.gov/
  2. PubMed Central http://pubmedcentral.nih.gov
  3. Medscape http://www.medscape.com/
  4. MdLinx http://mdlinx.com/
  5. Free Medical Journals http://www.freemedicaljournals.com
  6. JAMA http://jama.ama-assn.org
  7. New England Journal of Medicine http://content.nejm.org
  8. BioMed Central http://www.biomedcentral.com

In the next article we will look at techniques to help search the web more effectively so as to get better and faster results. In case you feel there are websites which should be included in the lists above which I have missed out, please feel free to mention them in the comments below or connect with me (@nrip) via twitter.

 

TAGGED:online medical information
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Giving Thanks for Connections to a Healthy Future

November 24, 2012
Twitter – A Vital Digital Intelligence Tool for Your Social Media Strategy
Social Media

Twitter – A Vital Digital Intelligence Tool for Your Social Media Strategy

June 25, 2016

Even Non-Kentucky Doctors Need to Examine Kentucky’s Narcotic Bill

July 31, 2012
BRAIN initiative
Medical EducationNewsPolicy & LawPublic HealthSpecialtiesTechnology

The BRAIN Initiative: A Starter Project for a Broader Effort

April 17, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?