What Doctors Are Doing Online

A 2002 survey from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Harris Interactive carried out in 2002 found that 90% of physicians say they use the internet to research clinical information.

The study was conducted in 2001 and 2002 and involved over 400 physicians and 10,000 patients in the US.

The study also found that 76% of US physicians read online medical journal articles, 62% communicate online with colleagues, 50% complete continuing medical information online and 36% attend online conferences.

The type of information physicians find on the web includes knowledge about new treatments, including drugs, knowledge about symptoms and possible diagnoses, prescription of treatments, including drugs, doctor/patient interaction and types of diagnoses.

Doctors spend 9.6 hours per week online. The most commonly visited websites are the professional association websites.

(Source: Boston Consulting Group)