After years working as a doctor in a hospital, a friend shared the most frustrating part of her job: patients whose online, amateur medical research weighs more heavily in their decision making than her professional opinion. She ended with a wish, “I want WebMD to die.”
Of course, some might chalk this up to ego. But she was driven by concern for her patients: WebMD gives people a false sense of confidence. Unlike a doctor, the website cannot assess your symptoms, current health, and past medical issues. A short article is no substitute for years studying the complexities of human health. Patients were choosing to trust a blog over a flesh and blood doctor, and as a result making poor healthcare decisions.
Login to read more
Sign in or create a free account to access Subscriber-only content.
Topics:
