Avvo, the largest expert-only health and legal Q&A resource and directory (http://www.avvo.com), today reported a substantial increase in ePatient and eClient queries to its Q&A forum over the past five months, fueled largely by an increase in questions around health topics including facial treatments and diabetes, as well as legal topics such as social security and family law. From April to August of this year, Avvo?s Q&A forum has grown more than 50% by providing people expert advice when they need it most. Each month 50,000 questions and answers are submitted to Avvo, with a response rate of more than 90%, and on average, Avvo users receive free personalized advice from an Avvo-rated and verified doctor or lawyer every 90 seconds.
Today, to further aid consumers looking for medical or legal advice, Avvo has launched a new homepage that features a single search box that visitors can use to either ask a question or find the right professional.
Since 2007, by taking 3-5 minutes to answer a question on Avvo, it is estimated that verified lawyers and doctors have provided 25,000 hours of free medical and legal advice to Avvo ePatient and eClient consumers. And in return, those professionals answering questions have received 7 times more contacts than those who do not participate in the Q&A forum.
"More and more consumers are realizing that search engines, social networks and other Q&A sites simply don?t have the ability to provide expert advice and answers to their medical and legal questions and concerns. As a result, theses ePatients and eClients ? people who are empowered to use the Internet to take charge of their health and legal affairs ? are turning to Avvo,? said Mark Britton, founder and CEO of Avvo. ?Avvo?s Q&A forum provides people the customized information they need ? when they need it most ? to make better and more confident health and legal decisions, while providing a platform for professionals to showcase their expertise and engage with prospective patients and clients in a more meaningful and effective way.?
Tens of thousands of lawyers and doctors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participate in Avvo?s Q&A forum, responding to ePatient and eClient queries (from consumers who are typically local to them geographically), and providing those consumers with expert advice that is more personal and reliable than sites providing general information and reviews or answers from unqualified or unknown users. Consumers may ask questions anonymously, but all professionals are identified and verified so consumers not only know who is answering their question, but they can also review the expert?s Avvo profile and Avvo Rating and contact that professional directly for services. Consumers can also search the Q&A archive to find questions and answers on their topic of interest.
In just four years, Avvo has grown to become the largest expert Q&A forum and directory of health and legal professionals available online. In addition to its expert Q&A forum, Avvo offers detailed profiles and unbiased ratings on a scale of ?1? (extreme caution) to ?10? (superb) for more than 90 percent of the practicing doctors and lawyers in the United States.
?Now more than ever before, people are going online to research their legal issues, as well as their options for recourse, before actually hiring a lawyer,? said Jay Tiftickjian of Tiftickjian Law Firm, P.C. in Denver, Colorado. ?Avvo?s Q&A forum allows us to connect with people in a more meaningful and personal way.?
?Avvo?s Q&A forum provides ePatients ?this growing group of people taking more control of their health affairs ? the personal and trustworthy information they need to make smart decisions about important life issues and more confidently choose a provider,? said Uday Devgan MD of DevganEye.com in Los Angeles. ?Avvo also provides professionals like me the opportunity to go beyond advertising and truly show my knowledge and experience, not only to prospective patients, but also to other physicians making referrals.?
Eight in ten Internet users have looked online for health information, according to a May 2011 study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, and ePatients say the Internet has had a significant impact on the way they care for themselves and for others.
The top five topics researched by ePatients in Avvo medical Q&A forum in August:
1.????Facial Treatments (such as rejuvenation and scar removal)
2.????Diabetes
3.????LASIK
4.????Pregnancy
5.????Glaucoma
The top five topics researched by eClients in Avvo legal Q&A forum in August:
1.????Social Security
2.????Misdemeanors
3.????Landlord / Tenant
4.????Family Law
5.????Wills & Estates
To ask a health or a legal question on Avvo, go to http://www.avvo.com. An infographic of ?Avvo Answers Across America? can be found here: http://bit.ly/nU0fgv.
In the month of September, Avvo is donating $ 5 to Alex?s Lemonade Stand Foundation for every health question asked at http://www.avvo.com/support/cancer during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Whether it?s a question about cancer, or any other health issue, participants will receive an answer from a doctor, and directly help raise money for childhood cancer research.
About Avvo, Inc.
Avvo is the largest expert only medical and legal Q&A resource on the web that empowers consumers with the information and expert advice they need to confidently make the right decisions about their health and legal needs. Avvo is comprised of a free expert Q&A forum, where consumers can ask questions - anonymously if need be - and receive answers from rated doctors and lawyers in their area; an extensive professional directory which features comprehensive professional profiles, patient and client reviews and peer endorsements; and the unbiased, industry-leading Avvo Rating for more than 90% of practicing doctors and lawyers in the U.S. Launched in 2007, Avvo is privately held, with funding from private investors, Benchmark Capital, Ignition Partners and DAG Ventures. For more information, visit http://www.avvo.com.
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