With the emergence of the Web as a necessary everyday tool for many people, online healthcare forums for healthcare professionals, patients and the general public are an integral part of the Internet and, in certain cases, have evolved into online interpersonal healthcare information communities.
Types of Internet healthcare communities include:
- Health and medical information resource hubs for the general public
- Medical information resource hubs for healthcare professionals
- Patient-oriented online healthcare chat boards and support communities
- Healthcare infomediaries services that act as an online network of medical information banks
Explore online healthcare forum information resource hubs for the general public
These types of medical information online communities for healthcare are geared to those users prone to medical self-diagnosis or to those seeking supplementary information to a doctor's diagnosis.
For healthcare professionals, explore online communities for physicians or medical information hubs
In a typical doctor's office or medical care facility, medical information, news and developments can become unwieldy. Medical information database services and online healthcare communities for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals can help.
For patients and their family members, explore online healthcare chatboards and support communities
Patient-oriented online healthcare chat boards and support communities are for sharing medical information and recommendations as well as for interpersonal support.
For healthcare professionals, explore healthcare infomediary services
Healthcare infomediaries act as online medical information banks.
- Internet healthcare communities aimed at the general public stress that they provide supplemental information only, and that consumers should rely primarily on primary information from medical professionals.
- Because healthcare infomediary services are part of an emerging service technology, be careful not to expose yourself to potential personal privacy glitches.