Department of Defense military treatment facilities use the Internet in the course of daily operations. The Internet is a global system of computer networks. The Internet is essentially a system of networks in which users can get information from other computers if they have authorization. The military medical treatment facilities allow Internet access to employees and customers to convey information such as medical education, operating hours, employee and patient education, benefit plan information, research, task functionality, medical appointment selection, and employee training.
The Internet was conceived by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. government in 1969 and was first known as the ARPANet. The idea of the Internet was conceived in 1969 as a network that would allow users of a research computer at one university to be able to "talk to" research computers at other universities (Patent Storm, 2004).
Internet access and capability is no longer limited to research organizations and universities. Military treatment facilities use the Internet to educate and facilitate patient needs. Patients have the ability to access Physician schedules to select the most convenient appointment times that fit the patient schedule. Patients can access medical prevention information to become more proactive in personal healthcare. The individual patient can access an online Nurse to ask specific medical questions because not all ailments necessitate a Physician appointment. Online benefit plan information enables an individual to view all available plan options to make an informed decision on selecting the right benefit plan.
Today, the Internet is available to hundreds of millions of people and ...