The North Bronx Healthcare Network (NBHN) is applying for a $50,000 Internet Connection Grant to create a network of interactive computer information stations (InfoBox) at its two hospitals and two of its ambulatory clinics. The InfoBox will make reliable health information from the internet and NBHN intranet available to NBHN's several thousand inpatient and outpatient clients by enabling them to utilize the online resources of the National Library of Medicine, including MEDLINEPlus, PubMed, HealthFinder and other consumer-oriented public databases. In addition, the computers will provide access to databases and informational systems specifically selected by NBHN staff to meet the particular needs of NBHN patients and of the population of the Bronx as a whole. By using the InfoBox, which will provide tutorials in his or her language, the patient or family member might feel more comfortable obtaining additional information about a particular condition or treatment. Since access is anonymous, there would be no patient concern about someone knowing about their research (privacy). Using tutorials available through the National Library of Medicine website, slow readers could hear the information at the InfoBox, as well as read it. Finally, since the same links for patient information are available at every clinical workstations, the clinician could review the questions raised by the patient or suggest the patient or family member spend some time doing further research.
