GPs threaten to remove patients who visit ‘Dr Google’ first

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GPs are threatening to remove patients from their practice lists if they have relied on “Dr Google” to find out what is wrong with them before their appointment, i has learned.

People have been mocked, shouted at and left feeling intimidated for carrying out their own internet research by doctors who fear “a loss of power”. Many are left dreading appointments for fear of their doctor’s response. The practice has become widespread enough for clinical leaders to educate GPs on how to not dismiss patients’ research so readily.

Alison Richards, from the Royal College of GPs’ Patient and Carers Partnership Group, said there has been a rise in the number of “cyberchondriacs” in the UK. Ms Richards said the idea for a session she hosted at the RCGP annual conference in Liverpool, called “Patient information: what rubbish are you reading now?”, came from an increasing number of patients sharing negative experiences online.

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/uk/doctors-gps-dr-google-patient-list/
 
I’ve sent my GP links and legitimate medical research and he’s been happy to receive it, including the vaccination advice for the immunocompromised. I’m glad his quest for knowledge is greater than his ego because I can concentrate on conditions that concern me. He has to have a working knowledge of thousands and can’t be expected to keep up with everything.

The ‘fear of power’ is the key issue. A good doctor wouldn’t feel threatened by a patient wanting to take some responsibility for their own health.
 
Fortunately I gave up General Practice before Dr Google arrived. But on the Parkinson’s forum, there are quite a few posts from people who have googled their symptoms before ever seeing a doctor, one who quite clearly has MS type symptoms, one who just as clearly has an essential tremor, and a couple from folk who’ve taken chlorpromazine for years.

It’s always best to let the doctor have an educated opinion as to what’s up.

That said, the worst patients aren’t the Googlers, it’s doctors.
 
When ever I went to see my GP and he didn't know the answer he would say lets ask Dr google 🙂
 
Well, I wouldn't push knowledge in a GPs face, just know what you're going with and so you'll know what they're talking about. I can understand them being cheesed off. Back in the day I went docs and told him I thought I had gladular fever because somebody had said to me my symptoms were similar. He sent off bloods and it came back something very similar to gf and he was impressed and asked how I knew. He asked if I'd been feeling ill! Well yeah, or I wouldn't have been at the docs. 🙂

I still like to research stuff, I just like to know.
 
When my GP asks 'what do you think you have'...he refers to that as patient participation...welcomes it...encourages it.
 
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I do use dr Google from time to time. I’ve narrowed it down to a few sites that I’ve found helpful.
 
Ljc said:
I do use dr Google from time to time. I’ve narrowed it down to a few sites that I’ve found helpful.
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Lin...during appointments my regularly GP looks online when we discuss issues...for all I know...he's consulting Dr Google...to hear patients have been shouted at...mocked...intimidated is so disappointing...why would any professional react to someone seeking their help/support in that manner...unfathomable.
 
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I think we can all recognise that some websites are more reliable for health and many other topics. I suspect that GPs are more concerned when a patient comes into consultation with a sheaf of papers about rare conditions before common ones have been considered than when someone brings a few print outs from NHS Choices, for example.
 
Copepod said:
I think we can all recognise that some websites are more reliable for health and many other topics. I suspect that GPs are more concerned when a patient comes into consultation with a sheaf of papers about rare conditions before common ones have been considered than when someone brings a few print outs from NHS Choices, for example.
Click to expand...
There is absolutely no excuse for mocking patients...shouting at patients...or intimidating them...how unimaginably awful that patients 'dread their appointments with their GP for fear of their doctors response'...if the problem is severe 'enough for clinical leaders to educate GPs on how to not dismiss patients’ research so readily'...then it exists...it needs to be addressed.
 
BBC Radio 4 Inside Health has just started. They're going to talk about this.
You can listen later.
 
I think what can be a real problem is people self diagnosing from Dr. Google & self medicating without consulting a doctor.
 
Mark Parrott said:
I think what can be a real problem is people self diagnosing from Dr. Google & self medicating without consulting a doctor.
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This can be a problem. It was before the internet. In the Radio programme they made the point that it was better to "debunk" any wrong info people have, rather than throw them off your list.
 
It isn’t so much Dr. Google because google is just a search engine but the reliability of some of the medical sites. There are some exceptionally good, authoritative and up to date ones out there but some people are likely taking dubious remedy suggestions from snake oil seller sites.

GP’s must get a laugh too at times. My friend was pregnant and overdue and her mother told me she had been taken into hospital to ‘be seduced’. She had no idea why I was laughing! :D
 
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