This article explores the health care revolution created by the internet, explaining how the Web has helped patients take better care of themselves.  It explains that individuals with health care concerns are now able to use the internet as a health resource so they can study up on their disease.  Not only is the individual more knowledgeable as a result but sometimes they are able to find better treatments, insist on better health care or even collaborate with medical professionals.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of American adults had access to the internet as of April 2006 and 80% of internet users have searched for information on at least one of sixteen health care topics (pg 4).  Moreover, studies have found that, as an individual’s medical condition becomes more severe, both patients and caregivers tend to develop not only a higher level of medical knowledge but also become more assertive in their interactions with their clinicians (pg 10).  Some clinicians have even gone so far as to say that many patients with chronic conditions are already “effectively managing most of their own medical care” based upon the patients key day-to-day decisions regarding their illness (pg. 23).  The article explains that the hazards of imperfect online health information have been overestimated as sophisticated internet users understand any random bit of online information by itself cannot be trusted but, rather, must be verified with other available information (pgs 29-31). 

Another benefit to the internet, has been the creation of personal online health networks, a collaboration of individuals working together to create a wealth of knowledge and companionship.  This network is especially beneficial at providing both continuing comfort and care for those patients dealing with a serious illness (pg. 46).  A study which dates back to 2001 found that 28% of U.S. adult internet users had used the internet to connect with an online support group for either a medical condition or a personal problem (pg 51).  Connecting with a support group with others who have the same condition can be comforting to a newly-diagnosed patient, particularly since such patients may have never encountered anyone else with their condition. (pg 58).  Online networks can provide medical guidance to uninsured members and allow foreign patients access to information that would otherwise not be readily available to them (pg 60).

E-patients are motivated to find an answer and are willing to donate massive amounts of time to find such answer (pg 75).  Consequently the article argues that clinicians should accept patients as partners.  Doing so creates the potential that patients are able to help themselves to the health care that they need.