A recent study conducted by Vanguard Communications found that patients look for health care information first over provider information when searching online. Interestingly only a fraction of physicians surveyed offer their website visitors, who are trying to better understand their symptoms, information on the health care information they seek.
The specialists analyzed represented OB/GYNs, urologists and orthopedic surgeons. Of those physicians, 69 percent have websites but only 33 percent have anything more than standard practice information such as provider bios and practice forms. Over a period of one year, only 4 percent of those specialists made at least one blog post to inform patients on current health care trends and research.