CYBER DOC: NEROSURGEON SHEDS LIGHT ON MYSTERIES OF INTERNET

Gibbs walks down the hall from the Generations Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital. He has published a book on Internet medical sites.

Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon Scott Gibbs is leading his colleagues and patients on a cyberspace safari through the medical information available on the Internet.

Gibbs is editor-in-chief of Medical Surfari, a 320-page guide to finding the top health care resources.

In addition, Gibbs is starting a weekly newspaper column about medical resources available on the Internet.

He will visit a number of Internet sites with information on specific medical issues and tell readers what information they can find online.

Gibbs' column will appear each Saturday on the Southeast Missourian's Health Page. It will also be available online at www.semissourian.com, the official website of the Southeast Missourian newspaper.

Gibbs moved to Cape Girardeau just a little over a month ago. He recently finished his training and residency in neurosurgery at the University of Missouri--Columbia. He operates a private practice here, and will head up the Brain and Spine Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

People everywhere are searching for reliable medical resources, Gibbs said.

"When dealing with a medical problem, people often feel they can't get enough information," he said.

And finding the information isn't always easy, especially in the tangled web of the Internet.

"Our knowledge and wisdom as medical professionals will be called up to shepherd the patient and family to the right information," Gibbs said. "Informed patients are more prepared to understand their treatment options."

Literally thousands of Internet sites offer information about health.

"It's a monumental resource," Gibbs said. "Some have likened it to the biggest library in the world, but all the books are on the floor."

Gibbs himself has been surfing the Internet for a few years. "I can see how people get hooked."

Gibbs started surfing because he was curious about information available on the Internet about his medical specialty.

Later he approached St. Louis publisher Mosby-Year Book Inc., about putting information about neurology and neurosurgery on the World Wide Web.

In turn, Mosby asked him to serve as editor of Medical Surfari.

"Physicians are exceedingly busy people who need information at their fingertips," he said.

Gibbs said doctors who use the resources of the Internet are still in the minority.

"But they are beginning to sit up and take notice," he said.

The reason -- their patients are using it.

Patients are arriving at doctors' offices with an armload of computer printouts concerning their symptoms or diagnoses.

"Even though nothing can be a substitute for the expertise of your own doctor, there is no prescription more valuable than knowledge at the right time."

The unregulated nature of the Internet creates some difficulty determining what information is accurate and reliable.

Gibbs' book and his column attempt to demystify Cyberspace.

The book was written by Gibbs and 50 of his colleagues, who reviewed 450 Internet sites and published their findings. These sites, along with links to more than 1,800 other medical sites, are also available on a diskette that is included with the book.

In addition to reviews of Internet resources, the book gives readers an introduction to technology and language used in the high-tech world.

It begins by giving basics about getting started on the Internet, offers a glossary and hints on search, security and even buying the right computer.

Using the book, Internet users could find information on everything from poison ivy and snake bites to arthritis and osteoporosis.

"We can plan a lot of things in life," Gibbs said. "A health problem is not one of them.

"I have learned over the years that understanding a health problem can make a real difference helping you to better understand your medical condition and to participate more fully in the management of your health care."