Abstract
During a night of severe pain and weakness, I found several plausible-sounding diagnoses online: occipital neuralgia, nerve damage, and meningitis. The next day, I consulted a physician who did not offer professional guidance; instead the physician suggested tests entirely based on my self-diagnoses. What resulted was an unnecessary array of lengthy and costly testing that did not diagnose the problem. Although my symptoms disappeared on their own, I was left feeling mistrustful of my physician and ultimately stressed and anxious. Against the backdrop of my experience, I highlight the potential harms of Internet-based self-diagnoses and the importance of collaboration and trust in the patient-physician relationship.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 462-464 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Annals of Family Medicine |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Sept 2019 |
Keywords
- Clinical decision making
- Diagnosis
- Patients
- Physicians
- Trust
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Family Practice