How has the Internet helped healthcare?
The Internet has helped healthcare in a variety of ways. Physicians, nurses and pharmacists have an array of up-to-the-minute information at their fingertips, and so do most patients.
The Internet has become a valuable resource for health information for many patients, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If a patient has and ache, pain or other concern, they can do a quick Internet search and choose reliable sources to learn about some possible reasons for their health concern.
Patients who do research online can get value out of the convenience, anonymity and the quantity of information, according to the NIH. Of course the internet does not take the place of a physician or hospital and should never be relied upon for emergency situations.
Having access to the massive amount of information on the Internet can help patients realize some questions they might have to ask their physician about their health concern, according to the NIH. The healthcare information patients find on the Internet can help patients and their physicians build a better partnership as a healthcare team but only if patients communicate with their physicians about information they find on the internet.
The NIH also states that patients who have a diagnosis they might find difficult to deal with – such as finding out they have cancer – can find a lot of positive stories online of other people who have had the same conditions. These stories can help give patients hope and help them stay motivated to fight for their health, too.
Another advantage of the Internet in healthcare is the electronic medical record, which is a personalized record of a patient’s healthcare history, which they can review from the privacy of their own home, according to the NIH.
MyChart is a free electronic medical record service offered to patients of Premier Health.
By getting online in the comfort of their own homes, MyChart allows patients to:
- Access trusted health information resources
- Communication electronically with your medical team (but not for emergency situations)
- Renew prescriptions
- Schedule medical appointments
- View a health summary
- View certain test results
- Talk to your physician for more information about how the Internet might help benefit your personal healthcare future.
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