Srinagar: With internet becoming increasingly popular as a source of medical information, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that internet ban in Kashmir has deprived patients of access to health information.
President DAK Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement said that patients suffer the consequences of internet embargo.
It has been three months now that people are offline in Kashmir as a result of which health care has been affected badly.
Online health information has become an important tool to improve population health outcomes and health care quality and to achieve health equity.
Many studies have shown that access to health information reduces trips to hospitals and improves overall health status of populations.
Patients use internet for their medical conditions, treatment side effects and for second opinion.
Self-care is another reason for turning to the internet that reduces the unnecessary visits to the doctor and therefore alleviates the burden on hospitals.
Many people do frequently visit their doctors for minor problems like common cold when in reality they don’t need if they have access to information.
Additionally, internet helps patients to cope with their diseases by exchange of experiences with patients having similar problems.
Doctors are unable to spend the amount of time which patients’ desire that leads to lack of adherence to medical advice and loss of follow up.
Internet fills this gap and has the potential to improve doctor-patient relationship as it offers an opportunity for patients to increase their knowledge, become more informed and increase their involvement in their health care decision-making process.
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