Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Saving patients from Internet health information

Stewart Segal, MD
Physician
February 22, 2012
Share
Tweet
Share

Lately, I get the feeling that I’m doing something wrong.  I’m supposed to form a partnership with my patients.  My patients are supposed to be the working partner and I’m supposed to be the consulting partner.

My job as the consulting partner is to offer sagely medical advice to the boss (working partner).  As a consultant, I’m supposed to help in the making of key decisions, find the appropriate tools to help make the boss healthy and happy, and instruct the boss in how to implement those tools should he decide to follow my advice.

As the boss and working partner, my patient is supposed to weigh his options, institute those procedures and treatments as prescribed and to keep me updated on how he is doing.  His job should also entail reviewing key health decisions with me prior to making changes in his overall healthcare.

Lately, my patients have been making unilateral decisions.  In other words, they have not been consulting with me, their doc, prior to changing or stopping their medications or other treatments.  While it is well within their rights to institute or stop any medical intervention on their own, it is often wiser to utilize the services of a trained consultant/doc.

This latest trend toward patient autonomy baffles me.  Yes, the Internet is full of information and advice; however, the Internet’s info and advice is uncensored, impersonal, and biased.  Much of what the Internet claims is gospel is really the carefully disguised marketing of junk.  The legitimate, scientific data that can be gleaned from the Internet often exists in a vacuum.

Case in point.  When researching Actos, a medication used to control diabetes, the Internet will inform you that recent studies suggest that the use of Actos may be associated with a rare form of bladder cancer.  While the operative words are “may be” and “rare,” the only thing my patient sees is “cancer!”  Rather than coming in to discuss this new finding with her doc, my patient stops her Actos.  Three months later, her blood sugar is out of control.  Her kidney function is now abnormal and her primary disease, diabetes, is having its way with her.

The Internet failed to inform my patient that Actos was instrumental in the control of her diabetes.  The Internet failed to inform my patient of the benefits of being on Actos.  The internet did not know my patient.  It did not take into account her individual needs or the damage done by invoking the fear of “cancer!”  As a consultant, my job is to take all of those factors into account.  My job is to “care” for the individual.  The Internet is “careless” (without care) by its very nature.

So, what am I doing wrong?  I’m in the office 5-6 days a week.  When I’m not in the office, I’m on call.  I don’t leave the office until every last one of my messages is dealt with.  I write this column daily, teaching people to be self-empowered.  Maybe that’s the problem.

Perhaps the problem is that people underestimate the risk of being empowered and making unilateral medical decisions.  Stopping the wrong medication can lead to heart attack, stroke, or even death.  Stopping other medications can lead to uncomfortable or dangerous withdrawal symptoms.  Deciding not to do critical tests can cost you your life or diminish the quality of the life you have.

Yes, the patient is the boss.  Most successful bosses have trusted consultants who help them stay ahead of the game.  Form a partnership with your doc.  Use him or her as trusted consultants before making any healthcare decisions.  The life you save may be your own.

Stewart Segal is a family physician who blogs at Livewellthy.org.

Submit a guest post and be heard on social media’s leading physician voice.

Prev

Understanding what patient centered care really means

February 21, 2012 Kevin 7
…
Next

The analogy between baseball hierarchy and medical systems

February 22, 2012 Kevin 1
…

ADVERTISEMENT

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Understanding what patient centered care really means
Next Post >
The analogy between baseball hierarchy and medical systems

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Stewart Segal, MD

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    I dream of practicing free medicine

    Stewart Segal, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    I have a problem and my problem is me

    Stewart Segal, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Click, click, click: How can I help you today?

    Stewart Segal, MD

More in Physician

  • Why wanting more from your medical career is a sign of strength

    Maureen Gibbons, MD
  • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

    Dr. Poulami Mazumder
  • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

    Emma Fenske, DO
  • Adriana Smith’s story: a medical tragedy under heartbeat laws

    Nicole M. King, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

      Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

      Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why wanting more from your medical career is a sign of strength

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • U.S. health care leadership must prepare for policy-driven change

      Lee Scheinbart, MD | Policy
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 24 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

      Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

      Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN | Conditions
    • Why wanting more from your medical career is a sign of strength

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • U.S. health care leadership must prepare for policy-driven change

      Lee Scheinbart, MD | Policy
    • Why the pre-med path is pushing future doctors to the brink

      Jordan Williamson, MEd | Education
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Saving patients from Internet health information
24 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...