Google Health Study - Nov 2009. How do Physicians use the Internet?  |  November 19, 2009  

One feature of Twitter that I find particularly useful is the ability to identify lists of individuals with similar interests and review information that they have identified. It is like having an army of researchers at one's fingertips. This particular study, conducted by Google Health in August 2009 and just published, analyzed how US physicians are using the Internet. 411 physicians (GPs / Endochrinologists / Cardiology / Psychiatry) were surveyed over a three week period.

Conclusions were very interesting:

• The Internet is now an integral part of the physician's clinical practice
• The Internet and Search have transformed medical practice
  
• Physicians use the Internet round the clock in short bursts of time
  
• Using three words per query, they do one search and click on the top of the page on a result that is relevant to their query
  
• Search is a gateway to online health information but also used throughout the research process

Click here to read the Google Study (Formatting for this web page takes a bit of work to navigate)

Alan Brookstone
Canadian EMR