September 02, 2009
Internet Can Complicate Doctor-Patient Relationships
A survey conducted by Atención Primaria, a Spanish Primary Care Health journal, suggests that 31% of doctors believe that the Internet complicates their relationship with patients and undermines their credibility. It is now commonplace that patients will ask their doctor about information they have read on the Internet and many believe that health information on the Internet is changing the relationship between doctors and patients. According to the author of the study, "very few studies analyze it from a doctor's point of view."
Researchers surveyed 660 doctors who all work for the Spanish National Health System. (330 in primary health care and 330 in hospitals) Results show that 96% of the doctors surveyed have been questioned by their patients about information they have read on the Internet. Furthermore, almost three out of every 10 professionals recommend websites to their patients.
The study shows that the physicians who work in hospitals devote more time to the Internet, take more advantage of resident training resources and cooperate more with specific websites than their primary health care counterparts. But opinions coincide when the influence of the Internet on their relationship with patients is assessed. According to 31% of doctors, the Internet complicates their relationship with patients.
When evaluating the advantages of patient access to healthcare information on the Net, 42% felt that it helps patients learn about their illnes yet only 20% of the doctors surveyed said that the Internet increased patient independence. It is estimated that over 40% of the Spanish population browse the Internet in search of health information yet, according to the author, doctors do not normally suggest websites to their patients.
Despite being one of the most active areas of innovation and with great prospects for the future, the researchers believe that 'it also poses new unanswered questions and very few studies have been carried out to date. Initiatives such as the recent European Commission Telemedicine Action Plan, which promotes coordination among countries, and the e-health scheme proposed in the United States are a clear indication of how important these technologies are when it comes to facing the challenges of the health system.'
Atención Primaria (in Spanish)
PubMed Search on Internet and Doctor-Patient Relationship
Posted by rsk at September 2, 2009 08:35 AM