Admit it: The last time you went to the doctor, you Googled everything your doctor told you (or at least, everything you thought your doctor told you) when you got home.
You even Googled the new medication your doctor prescribed before dropping it off at the pharmacy, clicked several search results, and read about other patients’ horror stories when they took the same medication. Then you decided whether to fill the prescription or not. You maybe even printed out that information to take to your next doctor’s appointment so you could ask what she was thinking when she recommended the treatment in the first place.
This scenario is common for many patients, made possible in large part by easy access to social media tools that allow patients to seek and share health information.
We now have access to a bottomless pit of information (both accurate and inaccurate) on which we base our health decisions. And on top of that, we help the pit grow by feeding it with our own experiences.
As the bottomless pit grows, the issue of quality control does, too. The impact of inaccurate information on online health activities is a serious concern, because patients don’t always know how to seek and share health content that is relevant to them. Between their limited access to their own health data (electronic access to health records is still widely denied), their generally low health literacy (as demonstrated in Canada), and potentially poor personal recall of what their doctors said, the odds are pretty high that patients are getting the wrong information online and then making health decisions based on that information.
I imagine that there is a growing number of doctors who help their patients navigate health information online, while there are some who simply tell their patients not to trust what they read there. Some think
their patients’ online activities can harm the patient-provider relationship.
Patients are not going to stop using these tools, and their use reflects symptoms of larger issues. Are patients using these tools because they didn’t have enough time to talk about everything with their physicians? Do sites like peer-to-peer support and blogs offer simpler language that makes more sense to patients? Are patients able to ask questions more comfortably on these platforms because they offer anonymity? Are patients able to access information in a timelier manner because they do not have to make an appointment and wait? Do patients want their healthcare to mirror online shopping and banking?
Simply put, patients are using social media for a variety of reasons -- trust is likely only one issue in a list of many. I believe that the problem lies not in patients’ enthusiasm to use these tools, but rather in their lack of knowledge in navigating the complex and confusing landscape of health information online.
But this isn’t just about the patient.
If a doctor has a presence online, he still has a voice once the patient leaves his office.
But to get providers to engage in social media, we need to create spaces that provide positive experiences for them. To effectively design social media for health, we must understand providers’ needs and their reactions to the use of these tools.
What do providers need from their patients in order for patients to appropriately manage their own health and care? What are the biggest barriers for providers in treating their patients? How could we build tools that have value for providers and patients alike? How can we develop standards and guidelines for physicians so they understand how to appropriately live in this space with their patients? How can we understand and mitigate some of the liability threats? How can providers be compensated for engaging their patients this way?
We can leverage social media tools to address these issues. Social media, if designed well, managed correctly, and supported by the system, could optimize both patient and provider experiences. But patients and providers need to live together in this space (and be supported by the system) to ensure social media is a cure and not a virus.
— Leslie Beard is a designer working with the University Health Network's Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (CICC) in Toronto and the University of Toronto.
Information is just a tool.It depends on who works with it.It can be a dangerous weapon or it can save lives. So, we have to think, what should we do with the information we get on-line. I think, if we read several web sites, compare and analyze what we read, plus we can consult with the therapist - that will give us the whole picture. Sometimes, social media is good just to realize what doctor should we consult, if we should.
I remember, I got in the car accident and next day had to go to China. So, in two days, I was in a strange country with swollen leg and had no idea what to do-Internet helped me a lot.
Yes, drug interaction problems are very important. That is why doctors always are supposed to ask what medications a person is already taking before prescribing anything. If they fail to do so and prescribe something that is known to have a bad reaction, the fault is considered theirs. But, obviously, the patients have to cooperate and share everything they know on their end. Still, there are sometimes surprises. A few years ago I had strep throat. The doctor prescribed Amoxicilin, which is considered fairly mild and the usual first choice for such antibiotics. I had no record of a reaction to it, but I found I developed a mild rash. The doctor told me to stop taking it even though there were several days left to complete the dosage.
I'm sorry that you and your wife went through such an ordeal years ago. Although the guidelines and procedures have change dramatically over the years since then, I'm certain that does not make the same mistake from being possible even today.
As an opinion only, I believe that too many GP's are bound by the insurance companies and what is dictated to them which prevents the care that patients seek. Personally, I only visit my GP once in a great while for check ups and nothing more. The reason I like him is because he and I came to a quick understanding on my first visit. It is simple, if there is something outside of a common cold type need that I would have from him he will automatically send me to a specialist.
Although I know several doctors, very few of them actually are a GP. The rest are all specialist of one sort or another. And they all agree that the insurance companies really don't allow for more than 10 minutes per patient (for a GP) in which they are expected to ensure "Quality" healthcare. So their are definite issues with the healthcare system in the US.
Regarding the other poster's reply regarding the stomach pains caused by the medication, my wife was prescribed an antibiotic that was mislabled by the pharmacy which caused her such nausea and vertigo that she drove her van into a pond. There was no internet then, we had to check with the doctor.
I keep complaining to my GP that there has to be a problem with my thyroid because of a skin condition which WebMD, which is in itself pretty rubbish for lack of detail, says is a result of a thyroid condition. So there is a usefulness in going online and checking out problems you have and discussing it with the doctor. Problem is geting the doctor to listen and/or engage with some education that he might need to check out himself. The standard Thyroid blood tests come out fine (but at the low end), but there are other tests that need to be taken which he doesn't seem to know about.
But if I'm one or two points above my fasting sugar level, he wants to push drugs on me to treat me for diabetes and if my cholesterol is just a few points above normal, he wants to prescribe very toxic to the liver medications. If he was really concerned, I think he should prescribe tests to check my arteries before giving me medications that I may or may not need and that are detrimental to other organs in my body.
I do agree that doctors do not know everything there is to know about healthcare. I also agree that there can be a wide range of medicines that combat the same health related issue. And it is very true that doctors need to be more in tune with patients and what is best for them.
Many times it is the patients responsibilty to ensure adequate health care for themselves. There is no one cure that works for 100% of the patients every time. But the overwhelming aspect that a stranger that does not know the medical profession and is probably letting loose steam because they had a doctor that did not treat them as well as they could have is something that everyone needs to be aware of.
For example, Heparin is a known blood thinner that works extremely well in the vast majority of patients. But the interaction with other drugs and the potential side-effects can be overwhelming. So patients should consider other treatment options and become knowledgeable about the drug prior to use if possible.
cvargas, doctors are still the ones with the power to prescribe. They do try to be cautious, but in my experience, they give patients the impression that there are no possible side effects or problems with a medication or procedure they recommend when, in fact, there are. The people who have the problems may represent less than 3% of the population, but you may be one of them. Sometimes after talking to another doctor or even a PA --even within the same practice -- I get a lot less of a rosy picture about the recommended step than I got from the first doctor.
I recall getting a prescription for a medication that I found highly unpleasant to take; it gave me major stomach pains. The doctor brushed it off by saying that her patients have not reported having a problem with it. But that does not mean that no one has a problem with it. Checking up on that prescription online showed that people had a range of complaints about it. There are different medications the doctor could have prescribed for the same problem. She could have given me some options to choose from or at least have taken the time to ask me a few questions. But she was in a very busy practice and didn't even bother to call me herself with the prescription information. I ended up switching practices very shortly after that.
The fact is that doctors do not know all. They tend to act somewhat out of habit, sticking to their usual prescriptions and recommendations. Very often that works. But sometimes it doesn't. They have to be willing to reconsider as thing change. And patients have to feel empowered enough to speak up and ask the right questions. Medicine is not a completely exact science, and doctors should be able to admit that they are not infallible.
While your explaination regarding the overall impact that social media has upon what patients take away from their doctor visits, it doesn't approach the aspect that many of these patients that are seeking "advise" through social media will typically fail to provide all of the true details.
Point in case, if a patient receives a prescription from a doctor and then does as you express, many times they will find more information than necessary and question the doctors advise/diagnosis. This then presents an issue in which the patient now feels that the doctor does not understand their condition(s) and they will loose faith in the medical professional.
Ironically, some stranger which probably was prescribed the same medication fails to admit that they have additional issues which may have complicated their own treatment. And the patient now is relying upon information from a stranger that doesn't have the medical expertise nor the willingness to admit their overall situation.
This allows for Social Media to cause an infinite problem for medical professionals. While I know many medical professionals that are involved in social media (to one extent or another), none of them would ever try to help diagnose an issue for a stranger that they don't know the entire medical history about.
Paul, I checked the link. The problem of requiring the reviewers to put up their names is that their experiences with doctors could be based on very personal procedures that they do not necessarily wish to share with the public. A lot of negative reviews usually indicate there is something that most people don't like, rather than one particular patient's attempt to avenge him/herself. Personally, I've never posted a review of a doctor, but I have sometimes discussed some with others and have found they shared the same views I had about the doctor's manner. What these boards do is make public that type of chat some people may have had with friends years ago.
One thing I'll tell you as an experienced parent is that sometimes you only learn to appreciate your pediatrician when you have to switch to another practice due to a move or change of insurance. The first practice we dealt with was really exceptional and worth the 15 minute drive. Many pediatricians will not see anyone after hours, claiming if it is really an emergency, you can go to an emergency room.
" I wonder if I would have found some magic solution online. More likely, I would have found other parents who had been through the same. So there is comfort in knowing you are not alone. The even greater comfort is knowing this, too, shall pass."
That just sums up the beauty of the internet, turning the world to your neighbourhood. You can go online and even if you can't get the perfect answers to your questions, you will discover quickly that you are not alone in that journey and just reading hw other folks share their frustrations can bring some comfort to you in knowing that your situation is not unique.
You also brought up an improtant aspect of doctor ratings. This has to be a trend brands should take notice of whether you are in healthcare, retail or whatever. I came acorss this website where u can go and rate any doctor:
"When I ask new patients how they found me, frequently they say on the Internet through search engines such as Google. Out of curiosity, I recently Googled myself. Numerous ads appeared, promising readers a "detailed background report" or a "profile" of me. Among the search results was information about my practice, whether I was board certified, had any lawsuits against me, and reviews from online doctor rating sites. Thankfully, most were favorable, but some were not."
Ah, the joys of parenthood, Paul. Way back when I had my first, we bought books. What to Expect When You're Expecting was already the standard texts that doctors told their patients to buy. We also bought a baby care book. We also bought a swing, a pacifier, and oodles of other stuff to help babies sleep. That worked with my first. Just about nothing worked with my second when she had her crying stretches. We asked the doctor, who suggested we give her Mylicon. That didn't make much of a difference. I wonder if I would have found some magic solution online. More likely, I would have found other parents who had been through the same. So there is comfort in knowing you are not alone. The even greater comfort is knowing this, too, shall pass.
But back to social media for healthcare, I'm surprised that no one brought up doctor ratings. There are whole boards devoted to discussions, particularly for ob/gyns and many include their recommendations for doctors or complaints about particular practices..
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