Does the medical information currently available on the Internet affect the physician-patient relationship?

Abstract

This article evaluates the impact of information available on the internet over the physician-patient relationship. The questionnaires were applied to 221 patients and 84 physicians followed by a descriptive data analysis. Patients with easy access to the internet and doctors who consult these people were included in the study. The research when done by the patient often resulted in better informed patients. A significant number of patients said they felt worried about having a false impression of having diseases described on the internet. Some have resorted to self-medication, modification of the prescription or even the exchange of the attending professional. Not infrequently there is damage to treatment and doctor-patient relationship due to information obtained by the patient and their understanding of them. At conclusion the "iatrogenic" potential of the internet is opposed to its ability to disseminate important information to the people. Certification of sites by regulatory authorities, improving information quality and reducing "iatrogenic", associated with the guidance of doctors, could be useful to improve the doctor-patient relationship.