Experts in the healthcare staffing field know that employers are increasingly in need of staff who are well versed in today’s healthcare technology. Electronic medical records, sharing of real-time diagnostics and communications on mobile devices — seems like there’s something new every day. And at the same time that the doctor’s office is become more tech-savvy, so are the patients.

Searching for healthcare information is now the third most common reason that consumers go online, just behind checking email and general web searches, according to a poll conducted by the Pew Internet Project. Why do consumers search the Internet first for medical information? Same reason they do a lot of things online: it’s fast; it’s convenient; and it may be less costly than an in-person consult. But, says a study from the New England Journal of Medicine, patients still rely on physicians to sort the good information from the bad. Concurs Robert Bok, Chairman and CEO of Candidate Direct Staffing, “Trained healthcare professionals are still the most trusted source of medical information; an entirely ‘virtual’ medical practice is still a long way off.”

In fact, patients’ trust in healthcare professionals to explain online findings has increased, while their unquestioning faith in Internet sources has decreased. Consumers are realizing that with so much data online, not all of it is reliable. Despite the challenges in handling patients’ information overload, many healthcare organizations have already adopted the attitude expressed in the latest Cybercitizen Health® U.S. study, which found that the Internet has created a more empowered patient base and “enabled the consumer to take a more active and informed role in their healthcare decision making.” In a best-case scenario, that means better patient care and a better provider-patient partnership.

The Candidate Direct Marketplace® provides a single place for healthcare providers to source, recruit, procure and manage contingent and direct hire needs. Our healthcare technology blog provides readers with information about current trends and aims to stay in the forefront of healthcare staffing technology and industry news. Please contact Candidate Direct for more information about our healthcare staffing software and technology.