Comments on: E-patients and how the American health care system doesn’t promote patient empowerment http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/05/epatients-american-health-care-system-promote-patient-empowerment.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Kevinhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/05/epatients-american-health-care-system-promote-patient-empowerment.html#comment-51548 Kevin Mon, 24 May 2004 02:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/05/e-patients-and-the-new-paradigm.html#comment-51548 I think that it's the burgeoning reality - patients are going to find health information on the internet regardless of whether they see a doctor or not. Having a physician refuting or interpreting the information should be something that is to be expected during the visit. True, it can be frustrating at times given the contraints of a 15-minute visit, but part of challenge is finding a way to deal with this reality, rather than resenting it. I think that it’s the burgeoning reality – patients are going to find health information on the internet regardless of whether they see a doctor or not. Having a physician refuting or interpreting the information should be something that is to be expected during the visit. True, it can be frustrating at times given the contraints of a 15-minute visit, but part of challenge is finding a way to deal with this reality, rather than resenting it.

]]> By: Nickhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2004/05/epatients-american-health-care-system-promote-patient-empowerment.html#comment-51547 Nick Mon, 24 May 2004 02:10:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2004/05/e-patients-and-the-new-paradigm.html#comment-51547 Bravo, Kevin! I tend to agree about empowering patients... <br /><br />But I wonder, since you're still often subject to the constraints of the 15 minute visit: don't you resent having to spend five of those minutes refuting something the patient "found online" ? <br /><br />I've sat in on too many visits where patients were convinced their WBC count was abnormal, or that they had Asperger's syndrome, or any other such weirdness. Some patients seem to waste their own time. How do you handle this? Bravo, Kevin! I tend to agree about empowering patients…

But I wonder, since you’re still often subject to the constraints of the 15 minute visit: don’t you resent having to spend five of those minutes refuting something the patient “found online” ?

I’ve sat in on too many visits where patients were convinced their WBC count was abnormal, or that they had Asperger’s syndrome, or any other such weirdness. Some patients seem to waste their own time. How do you handle this?

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