ORTHOPAEDICS AND INTERNET

Abstract

Establishment of internet was started 30 years ago in the USA in order to provide a communication network within nation wide after a possible nuclear attack. For today, internet became a source of new means of communications, and an information transfer system worldwide. It is estimated that by the end of the year 2005, approximately 720 million people will be using internet. According to the results of a survey conducted among more than 10,000 medical doctors: 63% of these were using e-mail daily, 33% maintain correspondences with their patients by means of e-mail. These figures reflect a 200% increase comparing the previous year’s figures; 20% increase was found in these figures after 3 months of the survey concerned. Through this article, it is intended to provide a short history of internet, and usage rules of services provided by internet such as; e-mail, news groups, message groups, telemedicine, www (World Wide Web), internet and patients, netetiquette, etc. Also a list of web addresses of useful medical and Orthopedics and Traumatology related web sites are included.