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Hello everyone.

Ive noticed something that is creeping into private practice more and more over the last 2 years or so.

Occasionally , I'll get a patient coming in with the printed sheet that they retrieved from the internet.

Sometimes I laugh at it particularly when they sit down and declare


"I have a Morton's Neuroma"

It sort of makes us not very useful anymore. (just joking of course)


Anyone else had this interesting phenomenon happen in their practice ???


FD

 

Re: Patiehts diagnosing themselves

Old lady had "Kerry katona" on her feet.
Another client claimed her child had a "bazooka between the toes"
...........
at least if they print if off and pronounce it correctly you have more of an idea :)
still, i like to research my symptoms before i go to the doctor and once i have seen him i like to go home and re-research what he's diagnosed. So can't blame clients from doing the same.

 

Re: Patiehts diagnosing themselves

A Bazooka between the toes??? Now that made me laugh..

FDC

 

Re: Patiehts diagnosing themselves

It really depends on the information and the patient. My particular area of practice is surgery and it can be tremendously helpful if an intelligent patient pulls some good information off the web. It means we can discuss the presenting complaint, available treatment and potential outcomes at quite a high level. On the other hand, a less intelligent patient who has poor information means that one has to start from step one. I suppose that this illustrates that the exponential growth of informatics is:

i) a good thing

ii) a bad thing

As in much philosophy, the answer is yes and no.

All the best

Bill

PS. It does illustrate how important it is to have our own accurate illustrated information sheets to hand out to patients prior to treatment.

 

Re: Patiehts diagnosing themselves

I generally welcome this when it happens

If they have correctly diagnosed then they are most of the way there to accepting a management plan

If they are way off the mark they are generally even more pleased they came to see you!
(plus you get to laugh at the wild things that are self-diagnosed)

I think it's very rare that it gets in the way of effective treatment.

 

Re: Patiehts diagnosing themselves

I would have to agree with that .