Healthy Outlook Blog

Elizabeth Han, a Canadian biomedical engineer and creator of Hospital Songs, looks at it from the doctor’s perspective. In a recent post, she makes sure to praise the web for its community and emotional support. But she warns against patients who might rely so heavily on search engines for advice that they’re less likely to ask pertinent questions of their actual doctor. The possible effect, she notes, would limit patient empowerment:

“It means that we have built fences. Psychological fences. We are told that good fences make good neighbors, but I for one don’t want to talk to people through fences. When we erect too many fences, at some point somebody ends up taking the path of least resistance. Like avoiding communication and seeking out answers on the Internet.”

It’s a situation where the free-flow of information on the Internet can result in a less-informed opinion, which underscores the fact that the patient should always take an active role in their health. While more information is almost always a good thing, the web should always serve as a compliment to your living, breathing doctor. That’s why we created the Better Health Conversation with WebMD. You can fine-tune your own health questions and get the most out of your next doctor’s visit.