Patient access to the Internet.

AIM: To discern the availability of the Internet to patients attending clinics and surgeries in North Manchester General Hospital, UK. METHOD: A multidisciplinary group designed a questionnaire to be distributed to patients attending the authors' clinics between each October and November for five years. RESULTS: The data from 1998 and 1999 are presented here. Three quarters of patients surveyed were unable to access the Internet and a significant number had no future plans to do so. DISCUSSION: If access rates remain low over the next three to four years it is likely that the authors will continue to focus on providing patient information via the Internet at out-patient clinics.