This poster provides a discussion of data from qualitative research on information seeking practices of people with a particular chronic illness, hepatitis C. Traditional modes of information provision within clinical encounters have been radically altered by public internet access to resources and information that were previously accessed almost exclusively by health professionals. While medical literature raises concerns among health professionals about the quality of online health information, little empirical research addresses health consumer practices and perspectives. The poster identifies strategies used by people with chronic illness to navigate and negotiate this changing health environment, in which health consumers make sense of multifarious 'lay' and 'expert' online information sources. Strategies include means of assessing information reliability and validity and the internet is often used for clarification and confirmation of information received from doctors. In this context, clinical consultations can be seen as opportunities for information exchange and dialogue between health service providers and consumers.