Curse or Blessing:Technology's Affect on the Doctor Patient Relationship

The Struggle of Knowledge and Power:

 Nowadays people have access to all sorts of medical resources and information. Cell phones, iPods, television shows, medical sites, and other sources serve as unlimited access to medical related topics such as illnesses, cures, and common procedures. Although these sources are created to educate and encourage people to become aware of their health, health risks, and what’s going on in the medical field today, they sometimes serve as a catalyst for conflicts and disagreements between patients and their doctors. After reading about their illnesses in a magazine, book, or site patients are more likely to be resistant to their doctors’ orders or diagnosis. 

These sources give patients power to choose the procedures and treatments doctors want them to go through. Patients can now be better prepared with questions for their doctors in time limited appointments. Not only does this help physicians in better treating and diagnosing their patients but reassures physicians that they are covering all of their patients concerns about their health. Meeting the patients needs and expectations are very important to doctors and this is one way in which this is possible.  In this aspect, both parties win. 

However, sometimes with so much information out in social media it can conflict with many of the recommendations that doctors make for their patients. Many times, information in the media is generalized to the most common cases and may not apply to every individual as every case is unique. What do you think? Do you think that these sources are causing more harm in the medical field than progress in people’s health?

 *I do not own these images, they were found on various tumblr sites. Please let me know if any are yours and I will give you credit for them. Thanks so much!