Mayo Clinic ' s Web Site Contains a " Find Diseases and Conditions " Feature

Searching for reliable web sites that discuss the diagnosis of diseases can be a hit-or-miss proposition. The process is sometimes jokingly referred to as"consulting Dr. Google" (see:The precautions you should take before consulting ‘Dr. Google’). Regarding the use of lab tests for diagnosis, one of the best resources that I know is the ARUP LaboratoriesTest Directory. One word of caution here is that it's primarily designed to guide physicians in test ordering.The trend of providing information on the web about diseases for consumers continues. One example is the Mayo Clinic web site (see:Find Diseases& Conditions). My opinion of this patient educational tool is that it addresses a wide array of diseases but the descriptions lack detail. Here, for example, is the"overview" of radiation enteritis:Radiation enteritis is inflammation of the intestines that occurs after radiation therapy.Radiation enteritis causes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps in people receiving radiation aimed at the abdomen, pelvis or rectum. Radiation enteritis is most common in people receiving radiation therapy for cancer in the abdomen and pelvic areas. For most people, radiation enteritis is temporary and the inflammation usually subsides several weeks after treatment ends.But for some, radiation enteritis may continue long after treatment ends or may develop months or years after treatment. Chronic radiation enteritis can cause complications su...

Source: Lab Soft News - February 28, 2020 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Testing Diagnostics Electronic Health Record (EHR) Healthcare Information Technology Healthcare Innovations Medical Consumerism Public Health Source Type: blogs