By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    FDA Approves Diabetes Pill
    May 2, 2011
    Patient Gets Drunk on Hand Sanitizer
    June 20, 2011
    Cultivating Health Improvement
    July 20, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Information Therapy: Better for Doctor, Better for Patient
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Information Therapy: Better for Doctor, Better for Patient
Medical Education

Information Therapy: Better for Doctor, Better for Patient

malpani
Last updated: December 17, 2011 8:53 am
malpani
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

I am a big believer in Information Therapy. I feel that the more patients know about their medical problems, the better for them – and the better for their doctor as well !

I recently had an interesting conversation with a senior doctor, who was quite skeptical about the value of empowering patients with information. He felt this was just a new fad, and would just create more problems.

I am a big believer in Information Therapy. I feel that the more patients know about their medical problems, the better for them – and the better for their doctor as well !

I recently had an interesting conversation with a senior doctor, who was quite skeptical about the value of empowering patients with information. He felt this was just a new fad, and would just create more problems.

More Read

7 Reasons You Need Digital Marketing For Your Medical Practice
Biggest Challenges with Managing a Dental Practice
Advanced Care Planning: What to Do Now
How Do I Become A Clinical Documentation Specialist?
Thrush and Breastfeeding: Thrush Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

He believed that medicine was a complex subject – after all , it takes 8 years of full time training to become a surgeon ! How can one expect patients to understand the nuances of their medical problems in a few minutes ? Isn’t it far better for them to trust their doctor, who is the true expert, and who can help them heal quickly ?

He was very critical of patients who came with pages and pages of internet printouts about their medical illness. They were often very confused ; and ended wasting a lot of their time ( and his ! ) wanting to discuss options and alternatives which did not make any sense at all. He felt that all this second guessing the doctor just caused patients to doubt their doctor – and this loss of faith and trust in the doctor would end up harming patients – and doctors as well.

Hypochondriacs have a field day googling their symptoms. They end up with “medical student “ syndrome, convinced they have all possible medical diseases, ranging from asbestosis to
zoonoses !

He was quite dismissive about “well-informed patients” who felt they had become “half-doctors” by reading and researching their medical problem online. A little knowledge can be dangerous – and patients who thought they know a lot about their disease often created more problems they solved, by challenging their doctor’s decisions. Doctors are not used to having patients disagree with them – and often ended up getting upset and angry. This just damaged the doctor-patient relationship, making this confrontational, rather than cooperative.

Everything he said was true – but this does not mean that there’s anything wrong with the idea of Information Therapy. Like anything else, information can be used properly – or misused and abused. The key is that the information we need to provide patients needs to be reliable, updated ; evidence based – and tailored to the patient’s needs. Rather than force the patient to search for this information himself, if the doctor prescribed information himself, this would create a win-win situation. The patient would trust this information, since it was coming from his doctor and not have to waste his time wading through pages of rubbish. The doctor would also be more confident that the patient was well-informed and had realistic expectations from his medical treatment.

The word doctor is derived from the word, docere, which means “ to teach”. When doctors don’t do so, we are abdicating our responsibility and forsaking our patients. They feel lost and are then forced to fend for themselves – thus wasting their time , and their doctors’ time as well , because they need to clear up their patient’s confusion and doubts.

The solution is simple . Doctors need to guide their patients and prescribing information therapy is a simple way of doing so ! This needs to be curated, reliable information, which both doctors and patients can trust, thus ensuring they are on the same page, and are active partners in a healing relationship.

There is a difference between information, knowledge and wisdom ! If doctors prescribe information intelligently , they can trust their patients will become knowledgeable, and together they can create a wise path to help their patients navigate their illness.

Enhanced by Zemanta
TAGGED:Information Therapy
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Do You Grind Your Teeth at Night? Here’s How Night Guards and TMJ Treatments Can Help
Dental health
May 21, 2025
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
The Secret To A Confident Smile: Top Tips For Better Teeth
Dental health
May 21, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Back to Basics… The (lost) Art of The Patient-Physician Interaction

October 26, 2011

The Cookie-Cutter Medicine Fallacy

June 8, 2012

An iPhone App for Medical Checklists?

July 17, 2011
New Rx Talk Time
BusinessMedical Education

Patient Nonadherence: A Rational Reaction to Sub-Optimal Physician-Patient Communication

July 7, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?