The Age of Self-Diagnosis:
Examining the 21st Century Patient
Shonda E. Jones
COM 2200, Fall 2015
In a technologically advanced society we are constantly bombarded with information. In recent years, the emergence of medical and self helpself-help sites have evolved to answer the medical needs of patients in the twenty-first21st century. The abundance of information on these sites can lead them to be inaccurate or unhelpful.; Hhowever, the sites continue to hold a strong following, pushing forward into a billion dollar industry year after year . When looking at the results it yields, some might wonder how something as questionableskeptical as an online symptom checker can yield such a following. However, byBy examining what information people are searching and how they are applying the found results, we are able to grasp a better idea on the appeal of online health care sites. Perhaps the answer lies not in the direct results produced by the online sites, but in the need the sites fulfill for their its new age users. The easiest and most fundamental way people use online healthcare sites is to gain topic knowledge. The internet lays mountains of information at the end of our mouse clicks; this easy access to information has developed into a culture of information independence. The new generation of patients no longer wants to rely on one source or limited information on their condition. According to a recent journal article by Bill Walsh on America 's
I will compare the information available from two major online medical resources to see what type of audience they are targeting and how the information is communicated. The topic that I will be chosen is diabetes. The websites that I will be getting my sources are from Medicinenet (http://www.medicinenet.com/diabetes_mellitus/article.htm) and the CDC centers for disease control and prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/home/index.html).
The growth of health care activities since then has truly encouraged patients to reach for information outside the confines of patient and physician interaction. Revolutionary new technology such as cell phones and computers, as well as the development of the Internet and social media sites, has served as where a vast majority of the public finds current knowledge for their problems.
Caveat lector is a Latin phrase meaning, “let the reader beware.” Health information on the internet is growing at an alarming rate. However, some information on the internet is not accurate or current, and unfortunately, many web sites regarding healthcare offer misleading, incomplete, and incorrect information. Many consumers do not have the knowledge to judge and evaluate the quality of online information. This paper aims to discuss how the website WebMD presents information to readers. It will evaluate WebMD according to its source, where was the source obtained; type of funding, is it commercially funded or private; the validity and quality, how valid is the information and can it be verified; and privacy, is your personal information
Upgrading our documentation to information and informatics comes with many advantages for the health care team to improve quality and safe ty improvement. Also, the use of technology such as telehealth, telenursing and videoconferencing are on the rise, and will be embedded into our communities and nursing organizations so that we can reach people around the country who do not have accessibility quality health care. Using technology to educate patients and families about credible websites, and how to search for pertinent information that is relevant to his or her health is a priority. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary emergency rooms visits. These actions foster communication and minimize anxiety
Education of patients and families regarding the reliability of internet information is prudent. Given the enormous amount of information available via the World Wide Web, not all of which, as you illustrate, is reliable, it is of great importance that patients and families comprehend the unreliability of some of the information they may acquire. Patients who are unable to gain access to health care secondary to a lack of funds, insurance, or availability of their provider, may be inclined to review their symptoms utilizing a search engine. Moreover, patients who were incapable of accessing healthcare due to reasons other than a lack of insurance are more likely to utilize the internet to obtain health related
Since consumers are becoming more involved with their healthcare decisions, organizations and providers must adapt to consumer requisites and utilize independent resources to ensure the viability of their businesses. In 2008, a study reported that 81% of internet users and 66% of adults utilized online health information as a source for health related issues (Ha & Yun, 2011). Some examples of online health information resources comprised of search engines, organizational websites, and governmental agencies that participate in health related issues (Ha & Yun, 2011). By accessing health related information, consumers empower themselves with knowledge to assist in healthcare decisions and wellness management (Ha & Yun, 2011). As a result of consumers becoming better educated about healthcare, administrators must explore internet resources in order to maintain quality and services that is expected by consumers, and maintain the reputation of the organization.
In this paper, I have chosen a health-related website and evaluated its credibility. The search engine used to locate the domain, mayoclinic.org, was Google. The specific web address is http://mayoclinic.org. Mayo Clinic is a healthcare organization centered on patient care. It offers locations in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota. Mayoclinic.org is a website based from the organization, Mayo Clinic, which offers a wealth of health-related information on medicine, occupational health, health promotion, and disease management. The purpose of
“Across the low-income group (<$30,000) of all ethnic groups (whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians), Hispanics have been found to be the most underserved population in terms of access to the Internet” (Peña-Purcell, 2008, p. 102). Thereby hindering their ability to gain access to and use internet health information.
Your experiences with using online resources to look up health or medical issues. Do you know of any situation where someone has found information on the Internet that has not matched the advice given by their doctor? What do you think of the use of the Internet by non-medical professionals to seek advice and information about illnesses and other health issues? How much do you think the medical and health professionals where you are need to, and have, kept pace with developments on the Internet?
WebMD has created an organization that we believe fulfills the promise of health information on the Internet. We provide credible information, supportive communities, as well as in-depth reference material about health subjects that matter to individuals. We are a source for original as well as timely health information as well as material from well-known content providers.
Chapter Seventeen’s topic on the consumer’s quest for health information via the Internet, posed a “challenge for consumers and healthcare professionals alike” (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015, p. 288) to ensure that the sites offer “reliable and credible sources of information” (Hall, 2009, p. 607). Nurses’ access to reliable and valid information is a must not only as clinicians but also as patient educators (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015). Thus, “nurses are challenged to find and use reliable, credible information to support clinical decision-making and to meet expectations for evidence-based nursing practice” (Miller, Jones, Graves, & Sievert, (2010, Abstract, para. 1) both for themselves and for their patients.
Disintermediation, in the context of healthcare, enables consumers to have direct access to their electronic health records, and other personal data (3, p.5). The main problem arises when the consumers get lost in the ocean of information, often landing in the wrong or irrelevant information, while bypassing the middleman (3, p.5). However, apomediaries, that includes Web 2.0 approaches, can guide and move the users to appropriate and accurate information, by partly taking over the intermediary role (3, p.5). Some of the deciding factors that determine consumer preference for apomediation are, expertise in specific area where they can seek information and support, autonomy, and self-efficacy (3, p. 7). For example, a patient with cancer may
Technology is expanding and information is readily available on any subject at any time. Does your leg hurt? A patient can enter a search term and then be inundated with information, about why your leg might hurt. Anything from muscle strain to bone cancer. Quite a wide variety of information generated from sources that may, or may not, be reliable. How is a person with limited or no medical knowledge supposed to navigate through this information?
Health and medicine are important for a society to run smoothly. The internet can be very dangerous. First of all, one does not know who is putting this information on the internet and many illnesses have similar symptoms but need different treatments. It is not always easy to decide what is reliable. 80% of internet users go online to find health related information. Many people rely and trust the internet which makes them sicker. When one is unhealthy, it leads to them not being able to perform their role in society and become exempt from normal obligations. Doctors play a vital role in keeping people healthy and productive in our society. People tend to believe what they read on the internet. But as we have learned
To my satisfaction, the Mayo Clinic organization has been adding healthcare news articles and magazine publications that have been recently issued this month of January. Considering this website analysis was inspired by how people easily turn to the internet to help resolve their medical issues, I decided to further look into the patient care and health information section of the website. I was impressed to see that each health topic has a publication date and there was nothing that was more than two years old. I also like that the information is organized by subject in alphabetical order; there are sections to explain symptoms, diseases, conditions, medical procedure and drug affects. Another section that I admire from the website is up to date information on health