Are Spanish physicians ready to take advantage of the Internet?

To analyze specialist doctors' opinions, attitudes and habits with respect to e-health, and the repercussions of these factors on doctor/patient relations.

Use of a survey to analyse attitudes, Internet use, habits and opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of the Internet among 302 doctors in eight Spanish hospitals.

Of the doctors surveyed, 80% have access to and use the Internet. Almost 40% use the Internet for less than one hour a day; doctors in smaller hospitals spend more time on the Internet and men spend more time than women. The most frequently visited websites are PubMed (11%) and Google (22%); when choosing a website, periodical updating and prestige are important to 78% and 69%, respectively; 37% have taken a course through the Internet; 35% consult electronic journals systematically; 16% regularly collaborate with, or write materials for healthcare websites; 12% receive electronic mail from their patients. Three clusters of information were generated in this study to classify the participating hospital doctors: the different types of information the doctors consulted, the way the Internet enhances doctor/patient relations and the aspects that the doctors consider relevant when connecting to the Internet.

Spanish doctors consider the Internet to be a tool that enhances doctor/patient relations. New technologies are accelerating the substitution of a paternalistic model by ones where the patient has access to more information and resources. There appears to be a favourable attitude towards seeking a second opinion through the Internet, although not towards patients' 'chats'.