 The
Internet has become a favorite medium for many patients to try and
answer questions regarding their healthcare needs. This interest
and motivation of patients to take responsibility for their own
health should be applauded and encouraged.
However, due to the tremendous growth of the Internet,
there is an overload of medical information, and a potential for
misinformation. Without guidance, it can be difficult for patients to filter
out safe, reliable information from the mountain of data produced by an
Internet search engine.
IN ADDITION, physicians have
been slow to embrace patient education as a valuable part of the services
they provide their patients. Among the reasons for physicians' reluctance to
embrace patient education are:
 Doubts concerning the effectiveness of education in changing
patients' behavior toward a healthier lifestyle
The lack
of appropriate reimbursement and time constraints in the era of managed
care
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The space constraints and challenge of maintaining a
well-organized file cabinet of patient education materials
The lack of a
systematic team approach in which everyone in the physician's office is
involved in some way with patient education
The Doctors' Patient Education Network was developed to answer this
challenge. The Network helps physicians and educators quickly and efficiently
guide patients to high quality patient education information on the Internet
- without all the clutter and "red tape" of sifting through
unwanted material. Used in tandem with The DrPEN® Directory,
physicians can guide patients to specific information on various diseases,
medical conditions and health-related issues DIRECTLY from highly-respected,
reputable sources. The Network is a "virtual filing system"of
specific patient education.
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