Weeding out 'garbage' Good medical information is getting easier to find on the Internet almost daily. In addition, drug companies such as Glaxo Wellcome are taking advantage of the Net's precise target-marketing potential. Today, a patient who has researched a disease on the Internet may ask the physician about alternative medicines, clinical trials the doctor has not heard of and anecdotes from patients and other doctors the physician has never met. We're seeing a remarkable transition in health care. That doesn't happen much anymore.
Doctors have to paddle much harder trying to keep abreast of their patients.
The changing relationship comes at a time when the traditional doctor-patient relationship is reeling, damaged by the squeeze of managed care. Doctors have less time to spend with each patient and are rarely reimbursed for time spent discussing medical matters. Instead, they are paid for tangible tests tallied by insurance companies. Now, add the confusion of the Internet. In some respects, it makes my job harder.