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Letters to the Editor to:

Article:
Tamara D. Rozental, Jess H. Lonner, and Selene G. Parekh
The Internet as a Communication Tool for Academic Orthopaedic Surgery Departments in the United States
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2001; 83: 987-991 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
*Letters to the Editor: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

[Read Letter to the Editor] Dominant media: Internet or print?
David L. Nelson, MD   (21 August 2001)

Dominant media: Internet or print? 21 August 2001
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David L. Nelson, MD,
orthopedic hand surgeon
AAOS Internet Communications Committee/Internet Society for Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma

Send letter to journal:
Re: Dominant media: Internet or print?

E-mail David L. Nelson, MD

Your article briefly evaluated academic sites for their ability to educate patients. It is a shame that this is not a premier purpose of academic websites; the listing of hours of operation, telephone numbers, and faculty is the minimum for a website. The true power of the web consists in its ability to education our patients.

One minor point: you stated that "In the United States, the Internet has already surpassed newspapers and magazines in annual per capita media consumption. " However, the referenced article did not actually state that. It said "...and places the Net above newspapers in terms of time spent with the medium" (http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,14571,00.html), that is, the Internet has surpassed newspapers, but not magazines.

For the Journal: the electronic version did not make all URL's into hyperlinks, which makes reading references slow and awkward.

Congratulations to JBJS for helping to move orthopedists into the 21st century. It will greatly help us serve our patients better.

David Nelson, MD http://www.DavidLNelson.MD member, AAOS Internet Communications Committee. Board of Directors, Internet Society for Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma