Dr. Ian Smith
Dr. Ian shares his favorite sites. Bookmark them now so they’ll be there when you need them.
Mayoclinic.com
The Good Generalist
With jargon-free guides and concise but thorough overviews, you’ll find basic information to get you acquainted with a variety of conditions. Updated quite frequently, there’s an extremely broad breadth of content—find out how to prepare and what to expect before a particular test or procedure or download one of many eclectic healthy recipes.
WebMD.com
The Community Connection
This site caters to many audiences, connecting you to other patients, parents, doctors, and healthcare professionals. You’ll appreciate the interactive calorie counting Food-O-Meter, the medical dictionary, and the in-depth videos that address different issues. Although you’ll find a variety of topics, extra attention is given to nutrition, parenting, pregnancy, and mental health.
MyOptumHealth.com
The Niche Network
This comprehensive site covers even the most obscure topics and offers specialized interactive tools like a Symptom Checker, a calcium calculator and a headache log. User-friendly health hubs neatly divide information so you can monitor a specific condition like Arthritis or just keep up with a general concern like Women’s Health.
NIH.gov
The Great Gateway
If you’re researching specific topics, NIH.gov draws from the best health organizations in the world. It will open doors and connect you to more specialized sites. Besides providing press releases and a guide to understanding health-related news, the site also broadcasts radio shows, podcasts, and other multimedia presentations.
Navigate Medical Websites
January 2010
Consulting the internet for symptoms is as common as a cold these days! While medical websites are a great resource and a good way to be pro-active about your health, it’s critical that you use them appropriately. Dr. Ian Smith offers his expert tips so you can navigate the web with caution and care.
Look for certified sites.
Reliable resources have the approval of the Health On the Net (HON) certifying agency. The HON logo is often displayed at the bottom of websites. You can search for and verify trustworthy sources at www.hon.ch/.
Check the contributors.
A good site will specify that its content is provided by trusted medical personnel. Examine the editorial board and editorial contributors and look at the organizations they work for as well as their list of credentials.
Stay on track.
It’s easy to get misdirected. There are many non-credible sites, blogs, message boards, or chat rooms where anybody can post inaccurate advice. If you find yourself going down this path, return to a credible site which should only link you to other reliable sources.
Use it in moderation.
The internet can be a great resource to alleviate fears, but with so many sites available, many of which are unsupervised, it can also cause panic. Read up so you feel informed, but don’t go overboard. You can get caught up with information that may be more inflammatory and exaggerated than it should be.
Know when not to use it.
When it comes to a medical emergency, timing is crucial. If you have a sudden change in your physical condition such as breathing problems, bites, or allergic reactions, seek immediate medical attention. When it comes to children, it’s always best to play it safe. A child emergency may present itself as something innocent, but can escalate very quickly. Skip the computer, and head to the doctor.
Confirm your findings.
The internet is a two-dimensional kind of situation—just you and the information on the computer. To really understand what’s going on, you need three dimensions—you, your doctor, and the back and forth dialogue you’ll have. There’s a lot more that goes on in between reading and learning about symptoms and actually making a diagnosis. Always confirm your research with your physician.
Be open-minded.
Don’t walk into your doctor’s office absolutely convinced you know the diagnosis and correct treatment because you found it online. Go in with the level of confidence that you are aware of what’s going on, but keep an open mind when the doctor gives you feedback. If you truly don’t feel he or she is listening to you, look for a second opinion.
Dr. Ian’s Bottom Line:
The internet can be a powerful place to find information if you approach it with a dose of skepticism and realize it is not a substitute for a physical examination. Remember, it’s not the end all and be all—it’s just one tool to help you prepare questions so you can start an informed dialogue with your doctor.
Dr. Ian Smith is the founder and creator of The 50 Million Pound Challenge and author of The 4 Day Diet. The 50 Million Pound Challenge aims to rally Americans to come together to 'Give up the pounds, not the fight,' against obesity. For info, visit www.50millionpounds.com.