Consumers already use the Internet for health-related searches in surprisingly large numbers. Surveys indicate that up to 65 percent of consumers have performed at least one online search for healthcare information, and up to 45 percent of all searches are healthcare related. But if consumers have signed on to the Net, doctors clearly have not. Less than five percent of physicians have incorporated the Internet as an integral part of their practice. Despite physician resistance to change, dozens of public and private companies are feverishly pursuing the goal of transforming medical office practice using Internet technologies.
Content providers are portals for healthcare information, primarily for consumers and physicians.
Their financial support comes from banner advertising and e-commerce revenues. They are supported by a variety of transaction and database-mining fees. They are supported by advertising and e-commerce revenue. Many nonprofit healthcare associations are also creating such online communities. Before the Internet, patients sought out physicians by word of mouth and trusted referrals.