Caught in the Net

MANY OF us have come to rely so heavily on the internet and email for information and communication that it is hard to remember just how new a development the web is. If you are one of those lucky enough to have full access at home and work then you managed without it. The net is revolutionising how we live, but much of the ground is still so untrodden that each progressive step can present challenges we never imagined. Research reported in Nursing Standard this week highlights one such development that is causing health professionals a few sleepless nights. Patients are taking full advantage of the huge number of free medical sites available on the internet to self-diagnose, before they have even set foot inside a surgery or clinic. Anecdotal evidence bears this out, with tales of people who turn up wielding reams of downloaded information. Researcher Mary Malone says some patients visit the surgery certain of their condition - all they want from the practitioner is treatment.