Diane Kovacs <diane@kovacs.com> is the primary instructor for this course.

Course Description: In this hands-on course participants will learn and use rigorous evaluation criteria to determine the quality of health and medical information published on the Web. They will review how and why to evaluate health and medical information on the Web, including consumer health, complementary and alternative medical, and information for healthcare professionals. Participants will learn to read and analyze health and medical related Web sites to determine the authority and/or credibility of such sites. Participants will learn how to identify fraudulent sites and sites with a credibility deficit using review sites as well as evaluation criteria.

Educational Objective: Participants will: · learn rigorous evaluation criteria to determine health and medical information quality. · review how and why to evaluate health and medical information on the Web, · learn to read and analyse health and medical related Web sites to determine the authority and/or credibility of such sites. · learn how to identify fraudulent sites and sites with a credibility deficit using review sites as well as evaluation criteria. · be able to teach patrons/end-users how to make good information choices from those available on the Web as well as to select high quality sites for inclusion in e-library collections and for reference work. · research licensing status and quality ratings of healthcare professionals and organizations.

Agenda: Lectures & Discussions: Evaluating Medical Information Overview: Beware of Bad Information You know how to evaluate information. The Nature of the Database What do you need to ask to evaluate information on the Internet? Where can you find the answers to evaluate information on the Internet? Authority, Reliability Timeliness Researching Healthcare Professionals and Organizations: Licensing Databases and Ratings Tools Evaluating CAM Information Privacy and Security Resources for further study. Web-based Learning Activities: Activity 1. Evaluating Health and Medical Information Web Sites Activity 2. Researching Healthcare Professionals and Organizations: Licensing Databases and Ratings Tools Activity 3. Critical Evaluation of Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) Web Sites Activity 4. Exercises in Privacy and Security

Need for This Course: In the past 8 years that we’ve been offering "How to Find Medical Information on the Internet for the Healthcare Professional and Consumer" participants have expressed strong interest and satisfaction with the Web-based health and medical information evaluation lecture and activities. This course focuses attention specifically on the evaluation of health and medical information on the Web as the original course becomes three separate courses each focused on a different aspect of the original.

The instructional methods used include Lecture, Demonstration, Discussion, and Hands-on Exercises.

Participant Materials: Web-based course materials including lecture narratives, discussion questions, Web-based readings, and Web-based hands-on learning activities are continuously updated and revised. Participants may download printable versions of the materials from the Moodle site. In the event of an in-person presentation print versions will be handed out.

Facility Requirements: Participants must have an Internet connected computer with Web browser software and e-mail. Participants should know how to use e-mail and a current standard Web Browser, e.g., Mozilla/Firebird, IE etc. Current versions are preferred. When the course is taught in person it is ideally taught with each participant having an Internet connected computer but it can be done lecture, discussion and demonstration only with the hands-on Web-based learning activities being completed outside of the class meeting time.