Microsoft says they are hoping to open up instant messaging to other competitors and that these standards create interoperability between the technologies. Most general health sites carry medical information, wellness advice or a mix of both. But MedicaLogic CEO Dr. Mark Leavitt said misdiagnosing an illness isn't the only concern raised by these sites. You could miss something or worry unnecessarily about something you don't have. Theories about the sudden popularity of health sites are that the Internet has made it easy to disseminate information that has long been in demand and that some people question the purity of doctors' motives today.
People blame financial pressure from insurers and health-maintenance organizations on doctors.
Online health sites offer an easily accessed, inexpensive and understandable second opinion. What surprises physicians is that, so far, there hasn't been a highly publicized case in which someone has substituted Web information for a doctor's care, resulting in a misdiagnosis. The low penetration numbers for the Internet could change very rapidly in the coming months as several telecommunications companies are introducing the Internet via cellular phones. While Asians have been slow to embrace the Internet when compared with Americans and Europeans, they are gadget lovers and often jump on new technologies. What's more, mobile phones are often seen as status symbols.