Mednexus.io: A Medical Search Engine For Patients

How many times have you hit up Google searching for information about symptoms or a particular health condition? I know I have done it countless times. In fact, thanks to my internet searches I discovered a health condition I hadn’t previously heard of; one that I would soon be diagnosed with. Yes, I searched the internet to try and make sense of what was wrong with me and in that process I learned about fibromyalgia. Following my diagnosis, I also turned to Google to search for information that I hoped would help me to improve my fibromyalgia symptoms. It’s safe to say that there is a lot of great information on the web but finding it can be a problem. Typing into the Google search bar brings up a multitude of websites; some good, others not-so-great and some downright awful. The problem is anyone can set up a website these days and write whatever they like. That means there is a lot of false information on the web. It takes a good dose of common sense and a lot of time to weed through the unreliable websites. However, sometimes it can be tricky to know if a website can be trusted or not. That’s why MedNexus was created.

MedNexus is a medical search engine. It was originally started as a resource for doctors but is now available to patients as well. Think of it as a medical version of Google but even better. The benefit of MedNexus is that it weeds out the unreliable sources and only shows you the ones that you can trust. You enter the question or topic that you want to research, hit search and you are then presented with four options:

• Health Topics: where you will find articles from reliable websites.
• Published Research: with links to published peer-reviewed studies.
• Ongoing Clinical Trials: which links to clinicaltrials.gov, a web-resource providing patients, health-care professionals and researchers with easy access to information on clinical studies on a wide range of diseases and conditions.
• Forum Discussions: linking to discussion posts on various forums.

On the left of the search panel you are also given helpful suggestions for additional searches. For example, I searched for information on fibromyalgia and it was suggested that I also check out diagnosis, treatments, management and risk factors. It makes it easy to delve further into the topic you are researching. There is also an explanation box underneath this which gives a quick summary of whatever it is you are searching, e.g. I was given an explanation of what fibromyalgia is.

Of course MedNexus is not designed for people to self-diagnose or to replace the information that you receive from your doctor. However, if you are a regular reader of my blog then you will know that I believe in advocating for your own health. I therefore feel that MedNexus is a great addition to the care you receive from your doctor. It enables you to do further research on your health condition, gain a better understanding and this undoubtedly puts you in a better place to decide on what treatment plan to follow. It can also open up a more informed and meaningful discussion between you and your doctor. You may even learn about more holistic options that your doctor may not be aware of.

I have been using MedNexus to search on topics relating to fibromyalgia and ME/CFS; both for my own personal use and to find information for this blog. I’ve found it cuts down my search time as I am instantly presented with websites that I recognise and trust, such as the National Fibromyalgia Association. I know I won’t be clicking on any links and landing on some dodgy website with unreliable information. I have also found MedNexus to be a good way to keep up-to-date with all the latest research and within a couple of clicks I found a list of the latest research papers on fibromyalgia. Personally, I really like that forums topics are also included within the search options. I am not a member of forums and therefore don’t always know where to look when I want to find peoples’ personal opinions or experiences on fibro-related topics. MedNexus makes it easy to find forum posts relating to a specific topic or question.

I do feel there is limited information on some areas of MedNexus at the moment. However, I am well aware that it is a work-in-progress. I think once it evolves and expands it will be an extremely valuable resource for patients. As patients it is important to do our own research and become our own health advocates. MedNexus makes that an easier process.

MedNexus are working on making further improvements to their site and user experience is a top priority. They would therefore love to hear your thoughts on the website. If you would like to, please visit MedNexus and then share your feedback by completing this short survey.

I’d also love to hear your thoughts on MedNexus in the comments below.

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