The first generation of e-patients

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1148

BMJ 2004;328:1148-1149 (15 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1148

Editorial

The first generation of e-patients

These new medical colleagues could provide sustainable healthcaresolutions

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

For many citizens of most developed countries, the internethas become a powerful and familiar healthcare tool.^1-3 Abouthalf of adults in the United States have looked for health informationon the net, making this the third most popular online activity.²E-patients (we include both those who seek online guidance fortheir own ailments and the friends and family members who goonline on their behalf) report two effects of their online healthresearch—"better health information and services, anddifferent (but not always better) relationships with their doctors."²Based on our own observations, the expert opinions of colleagues,a variety of e-patient and provider surveys, and a few morerigorous trials, we offer five tentative conclusions regardingthe emerging world of the e-patient.

Firstly, many clinicians have underestimated the benefits andoverestimated the risks of online health resources for patients.We agree with Eysenbach that many medical researchers have become. . . [Full text of this article]

Tom Ferguson, senior research fellow

Pew Internet and American Life Project, 3805 Stevenson Avenue, Austin, TX 78703, USA (doctom@doctom.com)

Gilles Frydman, president

Association of Online Cancer Resources, 173 Duane Street, New York, NY 10013, USA (gfrydman@acor.org)

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