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• Eric E Shore DO, JD, MBA on Jan 31, 12 03:52PM
  This is a subject that we could discuss "ad nauseum." Patients used to come in with diagnoses from TV shows and articles they read in magazines (remember the old Readers' Digest, "I am Joe's liver . . .?); no it's the Internet. Only the volume has changed. Some Web sites are good, others are terrible, but all have their good and bad points. In today's health care environment, doctors have a very limited time to see each patient, make a diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment (or explain to them why they don't need it). When patients begin to take diagnoses off of the Internet, what we have are millions of cases of "medical student syndrome," I remember how many of my classmates (no me, of course) seemed to have contracted fatal illnesses while taking Pathology and Physical Diagnosis in our 2nd year. Fortunately, all it took, then, was a look from a professor that told you to "go away, you're being silly." We can't do that with patients for two reasons. First, we would never see them again because they would not believe we were taking them seriously (and they'd be right) and, secondly, sometimes they would be right and we would overlook an important diagnosis. Perhaps we can reach some happy medium, but I'm not quite sure what that is. I look forward to hearing what more of your readers think before I continue my answer.
• (Comment from original source - Anonymous) on Feb 02, 12 09:30AM
  Certainly,there are some benefits that the web offers
  but one can certainly say that some knowledge in the
  hands of some of these patients makes them dangerous.
  On the other hand there is the 16 year old who
  diagnosed her own rare disorder using the web and
  Her science class.
  
  
  PT
• (Comment from original source - Maurice Bernstein, M.D.) on Feb 02, 12 08:32PM
  PT,you write "some knowledge in the
  hands of some of these patients makes them dangerous". But what knowledge? Information obtained from medically unreliable resource websites? Wouldn't reliable information be constructive rather than destructive? Or do you think that there are so many nuances in medical diagnosis and treatment for an particular patient, that any information even from a reliable website is going to be a danger to the web reader or others? ..Maurice.
• (Comment from original source - Anonymous) on Feb 03, 12 10:11AM
  Maurice
  
  
  The web is simply a treasure trove for those with
  Munchausen syndrome.
  
  
  PT
• (Comment from original source - Anonymous) on Apr 04, 12 04:52AM
  Dangerous, or just annoying to physicians?
  There is information on the web on just about any topic you can imagine, why should medical information be exempt?
  Everying has up and downsides, there is a lot of good information and support out there. I think a physician could do a lot of good (and probably save him/herself some aggravation) by directing patients to reliable sites.
  TAM