Media choice in nutrition education of general practitioners

In the traditional model of communicating information, a general practitioner receives information from his or her teacher (when they choose to give it) and from print media (books and journals) and in turn can pass on the information didactically to patients (whether they asked for it or not). The arrival and development of new electronic media are changing the system and the possibilities. Patients now have access to more information independently (some of it correct, some misleading). GPs cannot trust their own solid body of knowledge any longer. To keep up with new and rising expectations they must become professional information seekers. New media will give opportunities for GPs to look for information by electronic means at the time that they need it, eg, through on-line connections with databases or through use of CD-roms. The role of journals will change from simply providing detailed data; journals can concentrate on the questions behind the questions.