Younger physicians, specialists use Internet more

Sixty-six percent of Canadian physicians in clinical practice use the Internet as a tool or source of information to support treatment or in direct patient care, according to the CMA's 2003 Physician Resource Questionnaire (PRQ). Searching online medical databases is the most popular use of the Internet among clinicians (reported by 57%), followed by referring to online clinical practice guidelines (41%) and reading online medical journals (38%). Sixteen percent of physicians in clinical practice refer to online drug databases, while 8% receive secure patient-specific information over the Internet and 6% visit other physicians' Web sites.

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Figure.

Younger physicians are more likely to access some types of e-information than their older colleagues. Seventy-three percent of those under age 35 and 63% in the 35–44 age range report that they search online medical databases, compared to half of clinicians aged 55–64 and 39% of those 65 and older. Similarly, 61% of clinicians under 35 and 48% aged 35–44 refer to online CPGs, compared to 23% of physicians aged 65 or more. Age-related differences persist for reading online medical journals and textbooks, but are not apparent for reading online drug databases, receiving secure patient-specific information, and visiting other physicians' Web sites.

Medical specialists are more likely (73%) to search online medical databases than surgical specialists (64%) or FPs (43%), and a similar pattern is evident for the reading of online medical journals and medical texts. Surgical specialists are less likely (32%) to refer to online CPGs than medical specialists (44%) or FPs (41%).

The PRQ is Canada's largest annual survey of the professional activities of physicians. The 2003 survey was mailed to a random sample of 7922 doctors, and the response rate was 28.4%. Results at the national level are considered accurate to within ±2.1%, 19 times out of 20. — Shelley Martin, Senior Analyst, CMA Research, Policy and Planning