Should Doctors Google Patients?

from the information-wants-to-be-free dept

Thu, May 6th 2010 1:55am — Mike Masnick

We recently had a story about an article in the Journal of Medical Ethics that recommended doctors avoid using social networks entirely, because of potential ethical issues related to patient information. That seems a bit extreme. It seems like there would be ways to use social networks without compromising your ethics. However, a recent article in the LA Times takes this discussion a step further. Beyond discussing social networking usage and "friending" between doctors and patients, it wonders if it's okay for doctors to do internet searches on their patients to find out more info about them (or even see if they're lying about stuff). Of course, this seems like a bit of a flip side to the typical complaint from some doctors who don't like that patients are searching for information online themselves, though usually more for self-diagnosis. The article suggests that it really depends on the doctor, the patient and the situation, but it seems that many doctors are afraid to search for info about their patients.

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Filed Under: doctors, patients, search, social networking

12 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2010 @ 3:51am

The question is not whether doctors may look at publicly available and publicly posted information (for which there is absolutely no expectation of privacy), but rather how heavily they may rely on it.

There is always the what if scenario of: "But like what if like some guy hates you and makes a web page posing as you and how much you want to get AIDS and you go to your doctor and he's all like, 'dude, do you have AIDS?' and you're all like, 'no way man', but then he's all like, 'but your web page says you want to get it.'"
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- nononymous cow hard, 6 May 2010 @ 4:15am
  
  Re:
  If your web page says you want to get something, wouldn't that mean you don't have it? So why would a doctor ask someone if they have something, when their web page says they want to get it? WTF?
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- Pete Smith, 6 May 2010 @ 7:17am
  
  Re:
  I can see fake web pages about people wanting AIDs are becoming a serious problem for doctors and their patients.
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nsaamiller (profile), 6 May 2010 @ 4:13am

What doc has the time?
Time to google patients? Not likely. Hell, I have hardly enough time to spend doing a good job evaluating, deciding, and informing, let alone snooping on my patiens.

Tempest in a teacup. Maybe the authors of the JMEdEthics article really need to get out and talk to docs who spend their days working for a living. The LATimes article is a joke, as far as I can see. Is there a "silly season" for health writers, or is it post Obamacare mania?
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Daniel, 6 May 2010 @ 4:24am

I bet House would do it! Seriously though, if it is relevant and could potentially save their life, why not?
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2010 @ 4:48am

So my doctor can stick his hand in my ass but he can't google my name??? Thats just stupid. As far as social networks go, I dont see a problem with a doctor creating a fan page...if clergy can do it, why not doctors too.
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2010 @ 4:55am
  
  Re:
  I read that keyboards have a lot of germs on them, now I know why.
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2010 @ 7:31am
  
  Re:
  I let hookers stick their hand in my ass but I don't even give them my real name.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2010 @ 6:11am

I'd be more happy if my doctor actually cared that much about my health! i'm lucky to see my doctor for more than 2 minutes when I visit him.
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WammerJammer (profile), 6 May 2010 @ 6:42am

Right On
Absolutely!! I Google every new contact and glean all of the info about the perp, (oops I mean contact) I can find. It only makes sense to be informed.
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bobb, 6 May 2010 @ 7:04am

Knowledge is power
It is best to be forearmed.
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NullOp, 6 May 2010 @ 7:17am

Docs
I would absolutely encourage docs to google their patients! Not only could it possibly allow a better understanding of the patient but, even more importantly, it could potentially warn the doc about possible problematic behavior on the part of the patient. As far as docs 'friending' patients...it's probably not a good idea. I would have the receptionist do it!
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