Doctors lose patience with googling patients

Posted on Jan 1st 2007 11:21AM by Bethany Sanders

What do you do when you have a new health issue and your doctor's appointment is a week away? If you're like many, you head to the nearest search engine and plug in a description. Patients are increasingly using the Internet to try and self-diagnose themselves or bring information to their doctor.

And what do doctors think of this trend? A recent study found physicians used words like "nightmare" and "irritating" when describing this kind of patient. They expressed frustration that patients were testing them or simply gathering piles of misinformation, and complained that the practice increased their workload or led to an atmosphere of distrust. To help patients find reliable information, the Medical Library Association made a list of the 10 most useful websites.

I can see both sides of this issue. On one hand, anyone can put information (or misinformation, for that matter) on the net. On the other, I think taking an active role in your own health care is important. I think it's important to find a good doctor who will truly listen, be your own advocate, and then let your doctor do their job. What do you think?

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Tags: bedside manner, BedsideManner, google, medical library association, MedicalLibraryAssociation

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Val 1-01-2007 @ 12:11PM

I understand the Doctor's frustration as I frequently find myself discussing health issues with those who really just don't understand what they read on the internet at all.

People need to advocate for themselves by first educating themselves in general, before they get ill. Learn some basic facts about scientific testing. Educate themselves about the limits of alternative methods and look at sites like quackwatch.com that take a critical look at non-mainstream treatments and diagnoses. Look at the legitimate sites like CDC, NIH, Mayo clinic, etc. and learn to read them closely and recognize how many times a single illness may require multiple tests or may require looking at multiple avenues of treatment. Get a basic idea of the science and art of medicine and then when they get ill, they need to start with the assumption that they know practically nothing compared with their doctor and should use him/her as the starting point.

Having said all that, if the doctor is unwilling to explain a condition or treatment patiently or resents a patient who is seeking info from legitimate sources in order to better understand their own bodies and their illness, then it's time to get a new doctor.

'm very knowledgeable in a layman sort of a way but I always let the doctor first explain himself first and if the course of treatment is one that other sources indicate as at least being a legitimate way to go, then I go with it. People also need to start assuming that the brand new drugs are necessarily the best. In fact, very often, Docs who prescribe newer drugs over older drugs may be doing it because they have a financial incentive to do so when the older drugs may have the identical levels of efficacy at lower cost.

Wendy 1-01-2007 @ 1:05PM

Always google!! drs don't have time to research the latest info. Your doctor should be your partner in your healthcare. I found this out the hard way. When it comes to vaccines they are poorly informed. Do your own homework.

candy 1-01-2007 @ 1:40PM

I am sure it is not true for all doctors, but if they would listen there would not be any trust issues. I was misdiagnosed twice by my doctor. Even after telling him of a family history of the problem. Eventually I researched my own symptoms and told him what was wrong with me. He agreed to send me to a specialist and I was correct in my own diagnosis. Surgery soon followed. I do not "google" all my illnesses, but in this case if I hadn't I would still be in a lot of pain. I would change doctors, but I am moving and will have a new one anyway.

sick of doctors 1-01-2007 @ 2:18PM

I can tell you EXACTLY what your doctor is going to say to you IF you DARE question ANYTHING. "You may find a new doctor". This has been my experience along with being left to suffer due to their incompetence, ineptitude, and nasty attitudes due to being irritated by a patient who bothers to learn as much as they can about their on conditions and health.
My doctors have averaged (and I have timed it)... 5-10 minutes face to face with me (after I've sat, on average, 1.5 hours in various waiting rooms). My last visit, I was nearly 4 hours waiting, from arrival to leaving for an appointment for pain, made two months prior after an accident.
I would have been better served going to the emergency room. But my past two experiences there was a badly set broken foot that had to be rebroken 3 days later to reset (with nothing for pain to rebreak as I'm allergic to most).
I am now seeking alternative therapies out of desperation.

joel rambaud 1-01-2007 @ 2:22PM

yes patient should question their MD always at large an unfortunatly many of them are nothing else but pill dispenser brainwashed by the trillion dollar Drug industry.
From my own experience it simply saved my life as my MD was telling me there is nothing wrong with you just iincrease medication,I got mad and requested a second opinion by an expert {He had previousely made a phone consultation with another MD,I was not aware of it ,that MD said no surgery needed all this without any test} When finally I met with the MD of my choice I had emergency test and tghe following day was told you have 10 to 16 months to leave if you do not have surgery,The surgery was extremely difficult I had the very best Neuro surgeon anyone can find,put my house in order and after some 10 hours surgery came out 100% iintact,fortunatly my MD retired and by the way He sold his practice without even telling his patients just like a gaz station or an oil change business,the new one an x army doctor was even worse ,the third one prescribe medication which send me in the hospital .... the pharmacist knew Iwasnot supposed to mix them and He is the one that stop it .
I does sound like I leave in the middle of a third world country , no right here in the Bay area San Francisco.
Doctors may not like the fact the patients are seeking other advice the real fact is they combine kill a very conservative 250 000 patient a year like it or not their own data , Saddam Husseim was hanged for killing 150 peoples ........I do welcome feedback from the medical profession , at large the only thing they have in mind is $$$$$ and sometimes you find a Diamond like the one who saved my life .

Malaxar 1-01-2007 @ 4:20PM

As newly minted doc I find these comments very disturbing. I do not doubt the truthfulness behind them but I do not feel that these horror stories apply to all doctors. Most doctors do keep on top of their reading when it comes to currently accepted management modalities. It is true that many do not know of newly developed tests or treatments but that is mainly due to them not being widely used at the time. I am sure that there are some bad apples but my experience has shown that many patients spend so much time on the internet when they could be exercising, meditating or doing some other form of non-pharmacological treatment that requires some determination. Due to our current society many people no longer believe in working hard to maintain their bodies physical and mental well being and see a physician as a means of a quick fix. This is just simply not the realistic.

I do accept that there are doctors out there that do not take the time needed to ensure that their patients understand their conditions and their options. I feel that this is a result of both poor patient skills for some and uneducated restrictions imposed by the horrifying managed care system for others. It is simply ridiculous that I've spent so much time learning how to properly treat a patient and now I will have to learn how to fill out paper work in a way that will allow my patient to have the proper care needed and ensure that I actually get paid for the time that I spend with that patient.

The truth about the new drugs is that though their efficacy for treating what they are being prescribed for may be similar they usually have fewer unwanted side effects. However patients are bombarded with these advertisements on TV that have so many happy people or bees smiling and living life to the fullest because of some new drug.

I think patients should definitely be informed. Google is not the way to go about it. The list of sites given in this article are wonderful and will surely please your physician if you tell him that you read it there. I agree that patients are in a partnership with their doctor. Like any relationship it takes two to tango. If you do not feel that you fully understand what your doctor is talking about speak up. If you still feel unsatisfied with your treatment then find a new doctor. There is no point in sticking with somebody that doesn't bring out the best in you.

Alvin 1-01-2007 @ 8:33PM

The doctors who feel this way should consider one blaring fact: They're still getting paid by a patient who is visiting them. It's not like they're providing a charity here. The patient knows his/her own situation, has researched it, and may have a good idea of what's going on. By doing this they know what symptoms are and are not perhaps important for the doctor to know, and therefore don't waste their doctor's time.

Admittedly, there are always going to be hypochondriacs and general idiots, but but in general doctors should at least listen to what their patients have to say.

In reality, they do not. I have been diagnosed with ADD in the past. Recently I asked my doctor for an antidepressant. I had researched my previous diagnosis, my current situation, side effects of the antidepressant I wanted, etc. I paid $70 for an office visit (no insurance) and then he told me "Well you might be bipolar, I can't prescribe an antidepressant for you"... In reality the symptoms he was trying to say were bipolar were ADD symptoms. He didn't trust that I knew what I was talking about, and so basically wasted my money. He "referred" me to a psych that charges over $200/hour, which I could not afford.

In my case, I researched everything ahead of time to avoid such outrageous charges. Yet a doctor who was unwilling to respect the fact that I have a college degree, 150 IQ, and have lived with my problems my entire life and know what my symptoms are and what they mean, basically just said "Hey, thanks for the $70 for the office visit. You don't know what you're talking about. Btw, you need to lose weight. Thanks, see ya later."

Is my situation as serious as some? No. But it is typical. People are trying to take active roles in their healthcare, and doctors often still sit in an ivory tower and don't listen/respond to their patients needs.