Increasing numbers use internet before seeing GP

FAIRFAX

WEB DIAGNOSIS: The internet should never become a replacement for visiting a GP, Southern Cross Healthcare Group chief executive Dr Ian McPherson says.

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More Kiwis are using the internet to self-diagnose and are challenging doctors based on online information, a new survey shows.

The survey, commissioned by the Southern Cross Medical Society, showed more than 80 per cent of members used the internet to find medical information – up 7 per cent on two years ago.

However, only a quarter said they trusted that information.

Most of those would also check their prescriptions online, and more than a third would challenge a doctor's advice based on internet information.

Christchurch GP Pippa MacKay said she often joked with patients that she was "Dr Google's second opinion".

While it was good to be informed, patients would often presume the worst after checking symptoms online.

She recalled a woman had arrived at the clinic feeling very anxious after convincing herself a cyst on her child's head was cancer after an internet search.

MacKay said "overdiagnosis" was more prevalent than "underdiagnosis'.

However, some patients would put off visiting the doctor after deciding their symptoms were minor.

Online information could be beneficial to GPs, especially if it was about an uncommon condition or side effect.

"If someone wants to research their own condition and tell me about it, that's fine; I'm not an expert on everything," she said.

However, she did not have time to read pages of internet research before each consultation – as some patients requested.

Southern Cross Healthcare Group chief executive Dr Ian McPherson said the internet should never become a replacement for visiting a GP.

"While there are a number of excellent, authoritative sites, there are also a lot providing dubious information," he said.

"Many illnesses can have similar symptoms and the internet can't replace a highly trained doctor when it comes to making a fully informed individual diagnosis."

Christchurch Hospital emergency medicine specialist Mike Ardagh said internet use was a positive trend.

"For people to be more informed about what's going on in their health and using that information to challenge medical staff is a good trend, as long as they accept that sometimes information received could be off the mark," he said.

- © Fairfax NZ News