It almost goes without saying that technology - specifically, the Internet, has revolutionized medicine. But I'm saying it anyway. On a personal level, it has made my life so much easier because instead of spending hours rifling through stacks of journals to find the latest New England Journal of Medicine, I can simply search them from the comfort of my own home on the Web. Coincidentally, as Apple continues to contain our lives in the increasing capacity - yet decreasing size - of its iProducts, the company has expanded its reach into the realm of health apps. So basically, I don't even have to get out of bed or move more than a few fingers.
In the grander sense, the Internet has revolutionized patients' and families' access to medical information. It is reassuring to know that after being diagnosed, patients themselves can browse various Web sites to further learn about their ailments and their potential treatments and cures. And most, if not all, physicians agree that an educated and informed patient is better equipped to make important decisions about his or her health and medical care. Patients also can access these resources repeatedly to thoroughly understand afflictions without needing to call their physicians each time they have a question.
The Internet has also been a boon to social and support networks for patients and families dealing with chronic diseases. Example: Facebook for Diabetes/HIV/Cystic Fibrosis/Cancer - and the list goes on. These groups are wonderful for providing emotional support and tips for long-term sufferers and the newly diagnosed. They connect people and allow them to express on a daily basis what they are experiencing to others who truly understand what they are going through. This function is where doctors, alas, come up short. As a group of medical professionals, we are great at understanding the organic nuts and bolts of a disease and a disease's process, but because we don't deal with most of them on a personal level, we lack the ability to fully comprehend what it's like to live with these illnesses outside of the hospital.
But as Bret Michaels would say, every rose has its thorns. While the Internet has been great for medicine in the aforementioned ways, it has an evil underside. It masquerades in many forms, including false information, junk science, not Food and Drug Administration-approved, and the elusive "Experimental Therapy." I lump it all under the generic name of "Oh, crap" because that's what I say when I get an e-mail about how I'm going to get cancer from my water bottle. I know that other people reading that e-mail believe its falsities because these things always come with the disclaimer that they are from a reputable source like Johns Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic. It creates paranoia (try finding a water bottle WITH Bisphenol A in it these days).
What's worse is when people with an illness search the Internet and find information about some mysterious new treatment involving water with magical powers or Suzanne Somers' new diet that "cured" her cancer. Usually, these "treatments" are not particularly detrimental to one's health - and are, in fact, a great adjunct - until they become a substitute for scientifically proven, FDA-approved medical therapies.
Additionally, this wealth of information can make it difficult for health professionals to practice medicine. I realize it may seem that I'm contradicting my earlier points, but read me out on this. The trouble with Google is that it doesn't filter good medical information from bad medical information, so when a patient searches a symptom they are experiencing, they get a huge list of online sites at which they can learn more about symptoms and the potential disease of which they might be a carrier. Thus, patients search and read and search and read, and by the time they see their doctor in a few days, some are already prepared with a diagnosis. Their self doctoring might be totally off the mark in terms of what they actually have, but it takes great skill and patience to inform them otherwise, and what they really have is something else (hopefully what they actually have is less doom and gloomy than what they thought they had).
None of this, of course, is to discourage folks from searching out information - I encourage it - but it is to caution that not all information is good information, and it's always better to use the information from reputable sites (Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health and Medline Web sites are great examples), and to consult your physician with any questions. Also, it's a good idea to keep an open mind when you visit the doc and be willing to accept his explanation for your symptoms. Remember, just because there's an app doesn't mean "iDiagnosis" is always right.
Katie McBeth is a University Medical student. She can be reached at k.mcbeth@cavalierdaily.com.
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