Physicians: Is Googling Patients Appropriate?
In a recent article, a physician reflects on whether it is appropriate to Google patients. Weigh in to share your thoughts.
In a recent New York Times article, a physician reflected on Googling his patients. Sometimes, he wrote, Googling has helped him learn more about his patients "as people" and it has helped him "build empathy."
But he went on to write that Googling patients has drawbacks. "What if one finds something that is not warm and fuzzy?" he asked, pointing to an example of a time when he felt that Googling a patient had been an invasion of patient privacy.
How do you feel about Googling patients? Is it appropriate? Are there only certain circumstances in which it is appropriate?
Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
