The subscription fee may scare many potential users from this site, but for the content provided, it appears to be a good value. This Web site intends to enable greater consumer access to free health care information, provide electronic interactions among consumers and care providers, and support online health care transactions, such as filling prescriptions. The content is provided by a variety of sources including The University of Pennsylvania Health System, Reuters Health News, and Multum Information Services, among others. The information appears to be very current, and some sections are updated daily, though it was not stated how often the site is updated. One can become a member of Dr. Koop s page free of charge by filling out the online membership form.
Most information is accessible without membership.
The Family Resources section includes areas for children s, men s and women s health, and aging. The Healthcare Resources section includes information on clinical trials, health site reviews, and a medical encyclopedia. It also includes drug information for patients from Multum s Information Service. The description of the drug interaction, however, may be too clinical for the average consumer. The site is hoping to have available soon personalized content that is targeted to a specific user s interests.