Comments on: Is Google responsible for the decline of cognitive medicine? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83054 Anonymous Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:23:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83054 No offense intended, but I've been reading this blog long enough to see numerous posts in favor of billing patients for every e-mail and phone call, as well as supporting the current practice of 5-minute consults as an economic necessity.<br/> Doesn't seem reasonable, then, to berate patients for seeking whatever information they can get elsewhere. Two sides to every issue, you know.<br/> Don't personally see why the internet can't be used productively by physicians as a means of helping patients define and refine their questions prior to appointments. Just help them understand what constitutes a credible site. No offense intended, but I’ve been reading this blog long enough to see numerous posts in favor of billing patients for every e-mail and phone call, as well as supporting the current practice of 5-minute consults as an economic necessity.
Doesn’t seem reasonable, then, to berate patients for seeking whatever information they can get elsewhere. Two sides to every issue, you know.
Don’t personally see why the internet can’t be used productively by physicians as a means of helping patients define and refine their questions prior to appointments. Just help them understand what constitutes a credible site.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83053 Anonymous Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:30:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83053 Anon 9:27pm<br/>"No one is going to Google their Broken Ankle back together."<br/><br/>true, but now they're going to tell you how many, what kind and how long - the pins should stay in for. Anon 9:27pm
“No one is going to Google their Broken Ankle back together.”

true, but now they’re going to tell you how many, what kind and how long – the pins should stay in for.

]]> By: Chris, Pharm.D.http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83045 Chris, Pharm.D. Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:02:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83045 We have the same problem in the field of pharmacy as well. People can access the Full Prescribing Information for a particular drug they have been prescribed, then read the dozens of side effects listed for the drug. Or they see a drug-drug interaction listed that is really insignificant. Then they decide not to take the drug. <br/>I had it happen this weekend when an ICU patient with a blood glucose in the 400s refused her insulin because she was taking Byetta at home and had read that "the insulin will kill me if I get it. I've been on Byetta." We have the same problem in the field of pharmacy as well. People can access the Full Prescribing Information for a particular drug they have been prescribed, then read the dozens of side effects listed for the drug. Or they see a drug-drug interaction listed that is really insignificant. Then they decide not to take the drug.
I had it happen this weekend when an ICU patient with a blood glucose in the 400s refused her insulin because she was taking Byetta at home and had read that “the insulin will kill me if I get it. I’ve been on Byetta.”

]]> By: Dr. Matthew Mintzhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83042 Dr. Matthew Mintz Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:27:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83042 In my experience, even patients who google information still want the opinion of a medical professional. Anyone can look stuff up, but it takes years of training and experience to find high quality information and interpret this in a meaningful way for patients to make informed decisions. I started my own <a HREF="http://www.drmintz.com" REL="nofollow">blog</a> in an attempt to help patients (mine and other's) make sense of some of what's out there. The problem is that though patients value a physician's cognitive services, they and insurers don't seem too willing to pay for this. In my experience, even patients who google information still want the opinion of a medical professional. Anyone can look stuff up, but it takes years of training and experience to find high quality information and interpret this in a meaningful way for patients to make informed decisions. I started my own blog in an attempt to help patients (mine and other’s) make sense of some of what’s out there. The problem is that though patients value a physician’s cognitive services, they and insurers don’t seem too willing to pay for this.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83043 Anonymous Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:27:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83043 Yet another reason to go into a field heavy in procedures. No one is going to Google their Broken Ankle back together. Yet another reason to go into a field heavy in procedures. No one is going to Google their Broken Ankle back together.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83038 Anonymous Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:34:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83038 I find it ironic that this post is juxtaposed with one about non-emergencies at the ER.<br/><br/>I guess the public is supposed to be smart enough to know ahead of time that their chest pain is nothing serious, but too dumb to be trusted with Google.<br/><br/>Surely there is a happy medium here somewhere? I find it ironic that this post is juxtaposed with one about non-emergencies at the ER.

I guess the public is supposed to be smart enough to know ahead of time that their chest pain is nothing serious, but too dumb to be trusted with Google.

Surely there is a happy medium here somewhere?

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83034 Anonymous Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:57:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83034 After diagnosing myself with horrible diseases several times, and being wrong every single time, I now fight the urge to diagnose myself really hard. It is irresistable so I do it anyway. <br/><br/>Then I go see one of my fellow docs, tell them what I think that I have, and then tell them that if I am right, it would be the first time, so please ignore my opinion.<br/><br/>Those who diagnose themselves from google, and think they don't need a physician are fools. People want "full information". They also want to feel good about going to their doctor. Those two things are incompatible. For example, I don't want anyone to say the word "cancer" to me unless they are scheduling the actual biopsy to rule it out, or I resist their workup needed to evaluate the need for that. Otherwise I prefer "I'd just like to check that out a bit more."<br/><br/>TMI = too much information = totally miserable interlude<br/><br/>And then there has been all the teaching for generations that one communicates to patients more effectively using non-clinical language. After diagnosing myself with horrible diseases several times, and being wrong every single time, I now fight the urge to diagnose myself really hard. It is irresistable so I do it anyway.

Then I go see one of my fellow docs, tell them what I think that I have, and then tell them that if I am right, it would be the first time, so please ignore my opinion.

Those who diagnose themselves from google, and think they don’t need a physician are fools. People want “full information”. They also want to feel good about going to their doctor. Those two things are incompatible. For example, I don’t want anyone to say the word “cancer” to me unless they are scheduling the actual biopsy to rule it out, or I resist their workup needed to evaluate the need for that. Otherwise I prefer “I’d just like to check that out a bit more.”

TMI = too much information = totally miserable interlude

And then there has been all the teaching for generations that one communicates to patients more effectively using non-clinical language.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83030 Anonymous Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:56:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83030 You can change your own oil or have someone do it for you. you can cut your own hair if you like. You can knowingly kill yourself with cigarettes or alcohol. Should statins and basic antibiotics be available OTC? Should the pharmacy have basic diagnostics you do yourself to screen for CK and LFT elevation on your self-administered statin? If you can google it like Anon 1:08 maybe the answer is yes. This is the way things are in other countries that some people seem to think have a better idea. You can change your own oil or have someone do it for you. you can cut your own hair if you like. You can knowingly kill yourself with cigarettes or alcohol. Should statins and basic antibiotics be available OTC? Should the pharmacy have basic diagnostics you do yourself to screen for CK and LFT elevation on your self-administered statin? If you can google it like Anon 1:08 maybe the answer is yes. This is the way things are in other countries that some people seem to think have a better idea.

]]> By: Gasmanhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83029 Gasman Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:41:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83029 Let the patients google away. The bright ones will assimilate a lot of information yet recognize that a collection of facts are not knowlege, and an experience of one patient does not constitute wisdom. They will seek a physician who can act as a mentor and consultant to them using those 7+ years of training and subsequent experience from other patients to avoid having to repeat for themselves all of the intern level mistakes that come from having no experience.<br/><br/>Other patients will google, realize they are in posession at that moment of a few facts their doc has not, and attempt to treat themselves, using the docs as a set of tools they can choose from to get the treatment they have chosen for themself. Let the patients google away. The bright ones will assimilate a lot of information yet recognize that a collection of facts are not knowlege, and an experience of one patient does not constitute wisdom. They will seek a physician who can act as a mentor and consultant to them using those 7+ years of training and subsequent experience from other patients to avoid having to repeat for themselves all of the intern level mistakes that come from having no experience.

Other patients will google, realize they are in posession at that moment of a few facts their doc has not, and attempt to treat themselves, using the docs as a set of tools they can choose from to get the treatment they have chosen for themself.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-decline-of.html#comment-83026 Anonymous Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:00:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2008/01/is-google-responsible-for-the-decline-of-cognitive-medicine.html#comment-83026 Can't wait for the public to start Googling how to do their own appendectomies. Can’t wait for the public to start Googling how to do their own appendectomies.

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