With greater accessibility to the Internet, many patients are well-informed consumers when they enter a doctor’s office for treatment. But, according to a researcher at Miami University, easier access to information may still not lead to easier communication with their physicians.
M. Cameron Hay-Rollins, assistant professor of anthropology at Miami University, studied 120 rheumatology patients during their first visits to a new doctor. Patients were surveyed before their appointments regarding online research of their symptoms and suspected condition, and after their appointments regarding their visit.
Hay-Rollins and her colleagues found that 62.5 percent of all patients sought information on the Internet, yet only 20 percent of these patients discussed that information with their physicians on that first visit. Most patients said they didn’t want to be perceived as challenging their physicians.
“These people feel very sick,” Hay-Rollins said. “They don’t have a definite diagnosis or they have a trail of bad diagnoses and are more hesitant to ask questions because they need help.”
Both physicians and patients reported a significantly higher level of appointment satisfaction when Internet information was discussed.
Hay-Rollins believes physicians may want to consider strategies for enabling communication about online research. “Take a minute to ask patients what research they’ve done and address it,” she said.
Source: University of Miami,via Newswise
