The mass media, not the healthcare system, are the major source of the public's medical information in this country. This trend, which started long before medical Web sites or multimedia CD-ROMs were available, stems from a feeling of mistrust for medical professionals on the part of the lay public. The popular press tends to intensify this feeling, because often it can clearly define aspects of a medical condition in a way that a physician simply cannot do in a couple of minutes during an office visit. One of the most popular sources of healthcare information is the Web. Although there are literally thousands of sites devoted to patients' health, the content of many of them is questionable at best.
Patients typically expect something substantial that they can take away from a visit.
Furthermore, physicians need to know that their patients receive and understand the information, both to ensure compliance and adequate therapy and to meet insurance specifications. Even accurate data need to be placed within the proper framework to be interpreted correctly. In addition, if you rely on the Web for patient education materials, you'll have to diligently and regularly validate content of the sites you use and verify that it remains in line with your personal practice guidelines. The Web is composed of dynamic documents, so site content can change quickly and without notice. Another problem is that many lower-income patients, who may need medical education the most, don't have access to the Web.