Consumers Hungry for Online Health Information

According to a recent report release by comScore, Inc., Internet use for health information is growing at four times the rate of the total Internet. The category grew 21% over the past year with Web MD leading the field with 17.3 million visitors in July. Everyday Health, Revolution Health and AOL Health each attracted more than 10 million visitors in July. In total, 56 million people in the United States sought out health information online in the month of July.

Quoting from the comScore press release:

“Improved site functionality, increased content personalization, and overall consumer acceptance of the Internet as a source for health information have helped to breathe new life into the health information category,” said John Mangano, senior director, comScore Pharmaceutical Marketing Solutions. “Most sites have become vibrant online communities rooted in sharing experiences and advice, rather than simply being one-way information resources for the consumer. As Google and Microsoft ramp up efforts with their respective health sites, Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault, it will be interesting to see how the category continues to evolve.”

The next time you’re speaking with administrators at your hospital who question the value on online communication and Web 2.0 strategies, point them to this study that shows your patients, potential patients and family members turning to the Web in record numbers for health information! The data is real and the trend is real. We need to get on board and become strong online communicators and information providers.