Are Spanish physicians ready to take advantage of the Internet?
OBJECTIVE
To analyze specialist doctors' opinions, attitudes and habits with respect to e-health, and the repercussions of these factors on doctor/patient relations.


METHODS
Use of a survey to analyse attitudes, Internet use, habits and opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet among 302 doctors in eight Spanish hospitals.


RESULTS
Of the doctors surveyed, 80% have access to and use the Internet. Almost 40% use the Internet for less than one hour a day; doctors in smaller hospitals spend more time on the Internet and men spend more time than women. The most frequently visited websites are PubMed (11%) and Google (22%); when choosing a website, periodical updating and prestige are important to 78% and 69%, respectively; 37% have taken a course through the Internet; 35% consult electronic journals systematically; 16% regularly collaborate with, or write materials for healthcare websites; 12% receive electronic mail from their patients. Three clusters of information were generated in this study to classify the participating hospital doctors: the different types of information the doctors consulted, the way the Internet enhances doctor/patient relations and the aspects that the doctors consider relevant when connecting to the Internet.


CONCLUSIONS
Spanish doctors consider the Internet to be a tool that enhances doctor/patient relations. New technologies are accelerating the substitution of a paternalistic model by ones where the patient has access to more information and resources. There appears to be a favourable attitude towards seeking a second opinion through the Internet, although not towards patients' 'chats'.
Lorenzo
Susana
S
Fundacion Hospital Alcorcón, Madrid.
Mira
José J
JJ
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires