Internet Resources Available to Otolaryngologists

Abstract

During recent years, the Internet has evolved into the largest computer network in the world, allowing access to vast amounts of information and services. Medical information is increasingly available to both patients and professionals, and ever more biomedical resources are becoming available on-line to assist in research, clinical medicine, and education. The Internet has always provided useful resources to otolaryngologists, implemented at various academic departments and national organizations or by specialists or specific medical web sites offering technical, scientific, and biomedical information. The purpose of this article is to provide as complete a list as possible of the World Wide Web sites accessible through the Internet that are of interest to otolaryngologists. It summarizes different types of resources available, including educational material, audiology sites, outcomes research, discussion lists, research laboratories, publications, medical libraries, news and medical conferences, organizations, academic departments, otolaryngological and medical resources, medical and surgical equipment and suppliers, and miscellaneous other sites of interest to otolaryngologists. This review is intended to present the wealth of the accessible information on the Internet and to promote the use of the network to otolaryngologists who do not have extensive experience in computers or telecommunications.