An Introduction to Cyberspace for Medical Professionals BY Sheldon Chang, MSPT Physical Therapist

The Internet is an ideal way for all medical professionals to make contact with their colleagues and counterparts in different fields. On-line medical resources continue getting better and computer programs used to access them are easier to use than ever before. As more and more health care providers and patients alike get on-line and learn to use the Internet, the value of being on-line will increase. However, the benefits may not be immediately apparent because the medical professions still have growing pains to go through in the networked world and should not expect an easy transition.

The Internet in medicine is here to stay and will continue to grow. [29] In the near future on-line skills may be an important ability for health care providers to possess, but on-line skills will not be a required part of providing the best patient care. It may simply enhance the provider's ability to. While some of the high tech Internet applications such as videoconferencing have questionable benefits when compared to the costs and hassle today, it should not be a reason to shun the whole of technology. Less complicated alternatives such as e-mail and WWW sites can be cost-effectively used to help provide better patient care in an age when economic restraints result in rushed visits and lower quality care.