title: Googling for a diagnosis--use of Google as a diagnostic aid: internet based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how often searching with Google (the most popular search engine on the world wide web) leads doctors to the correct diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internet based study using Google to search for diagnoses; researchers were blind to the correct diagnoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  One year's (2005) diagnostic cases published in the case records of the New England Journal of Medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 cases from the New England Journal of Medicine; management cases were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage of correct diagnoses from Google searches (compared with the diagnoses as published in the New England Journal of Medicine).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Google searches revealed the correct diagnosis in 15 (58%, 95% confidence interval 38% to 77%) cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As internet access becomes more readily available in outpatient clinics and hospital wards, the web is rapidly becoming an important clinical tool for doctors. The use of web based searching may help doctors to diagnose difficult cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Q4102, Australia. hangwitang@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hangwi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jennifer Hwee Kwoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003933:Diagnosis; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000592:standards*; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity