GOOD Doctors Should Not Practice BAD Medicine
I've waited too long to get this blog off my chest.
Recently I have encountered a run of visitors to our WebMD Vision & Eye Disorder Community that seek specific clinical diagnoses and/or treatment recommendations for their eye concerns.
Usually there may be one or two such inquiries per week and I typically dispatch them with kind words that remind the member of what online services are available at WebMD. Rendering diagnoses, offering consultation referrals, and providing treatment recommendations are not included. Simply stated - it's not what we do.
Lately there has been a barrage of visitors seeking immediate online clinical services; immediate as in 'right now, doc!' Simply restated - it's not what we do.
Because WebMD is not a clinic, and because WebMD cannot perform online eye exams, WebMD cannot speculate about a person's health problems. Such behavior would be unethical and the purest form of bad medicine.
Click here to read WebMD's complete Terms & Conditions regarding the information it shares. I have included this one excerpt:
I love responding to members' posts. Sometimes, whether due to volume or time constraints, I cannot reply to every message and when that happens I am occasionally flamed. After 3 or 4 replies to the same visitor I need to move on in order to be fair to others patiently waiting their turn. We all are trying to find balance in our lives, right?
There, I've said it! I hope you will continue frequent visits to our member community. All I ask beforehand is that you remember that the Internet has limitations. Nothing will replace face time or phone time with your individual doctor.
Related Topics: Becoming a More Informed Patient, About WebMD: FAQs
Technorati Tags: webmd, internet, online medicine
Recently I have encountered a run of visitors to our WebMD Vision & Eye Disorder Community that seek specific clinical diagnoses and/or treatment recommendations for their eye concerns.
Usually there may be one or two such inquiries per week and I typically dispatch them with kind words that remind the member of what online services are available at WebMD. Rendering diagnoses, offering consultation referrals, and providing treatment recommendations are not included. Simply stated - it's not what we do.
Lately there has been a barrage of visitors seeking immediate online clinical services; immediate as in 'right now, doc!' Simply restated - it's not what we do.
Because WebMD is not a clinic, and because WebMD cannot perform online eye exams, WebMD cannot speculate about a person's health problems. Such behavior would be unethical and the purest form of bad medicine.
Click here to read WebMD's complete Terms & Conditions regarding the information it shares. I have included this one excerpt:
THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
The contents of WebMD are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD Site! If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, or other visitors to the Site is solely at your own risk.
I love responding to members' posts. Sometimes, whether due to volume or time constraints, I cannot reply to every message and when that happens I am occasionally flamed. After 3 or 4 replies to the same visitor I need to move on in order to be fair to others patiently waiting their turn. We all are trying to find balance in our lives, right?
There, I've said it! I hope you will continue frequent visits to our member community. All I ask beforehand is that you remember that the Internet has limitations. Nothing will replace face time or phone time with your individual doctor.
Related Topics: Becoming a More Informed Patient, About WebMD: FAQs
Technorati Tags: webmd, internet, online medicine
9 Comments:
As a diabetic I can appreciate the fact that eye problems can be a major concern. But, you are right in that no-one can diagnose long distance. The problem comes for me when my doctor ignores what I say and just prescribes a medication that I don't want to have in my system.
I have done an Expert Patient Program and spent thousands of hours researching diabetes so I do have some knowledge, plus it is my body that is being discussed, not the doctors. I have had a referral to a dibetologist turned because of the manner in which my doctor phrased it - in such a way that he appeared to be a miracle worker, when I am the one who has spent the time figuring out what I need to do to ensure reasonable BG levels. These have been below the recommended levels until my doctor started messing around and causing me more stress.
Doctors should listen to their patients with regard to their illnesses especially where a patient is proactive and willing to research their condition.
What would you think about a doctor who has a female patient with severe muscle pain and a blood test sed rate of 70? This blood workup was stuck in a file and totally ignored. I was unable to walk 1/2 block without pain. No circulation problems in extremities.
I believe the reason a lot of us are asking for your advice at all is because we can't get any answers from our own doctors. In the area where I live it is virtually IMPOSSIBLE to get another doctor, as you suggested to me once. There is a critical shortage of doctors in Canada and you are lucky to get an appointment with anyone. I have cancer and am very concerned about my health. My specialist is the worst doctor I have ever encountered in my life, my family doctor comes in second. All I wanted to know from you once was "whether excess crying COULD cause lacrimal gland enlargement". You were so rude and told me to ask my own doctor and said you do not give opinions. What is it that you do?. All we want are answers and to be treated like human beings. That is my opinion.
Ok...I missed 6 consecutive days of my birth control pills. I have started my period. Is there a chance that I could still be pregnant?
I recently went a dermatologist I found on my insurance company's website list of providers. It was a very scary encounter...and I believe probably illegal. I went in with a complaint of acne and/or psoriasis patch on my face. The first "nurse" that came in didn't know what to do or even how to spell the word psoriasis. The doctor then came in and apologized for the "volunteer" nurse. (Are "nurses" who take your personal medical informaiton allowed to be VOLUNTEERS!!?) Then, the doctor tells me to go on Accutane (without asking about my mental history - suicide in the family). I also told him I planned to start having children w/in the next year; he said no problem. He then walked me into his "office" where there was an opened, unmarked prescription bottle with a white powdery substance spilling from it on his desk, and a gynecological table w/ the feet right eye-level with his desk. In walked what I imagined was an 18-year-old "nurse" who wrote the prescription for me!! How is this legal?
I did not ask you to tell me what is wrong with me. I simply ask you what is CMP,CBC w/diff.Sed Rate because my doctor sent me for those tests and the lab technician did not not know what it was.
To those of you with specific questions about your own health conditions, please visit our Message Boards.
Hi..this is my first posting. My mom went to the doctor today and he ordered blood work. I know what the CBC is...but no clue what the diff part of the test is...she is 78 and a little nervous so she forgot to ask the doctor before she left the office. She has arthritis and colon problems but I had no clue what that test is. Could you just tell me what the diff is and that test is used to check?...thank you, donna
Bam, here is a link to an article explaining CBC testing.
For further questions, please visit our message boards.
Thank you.
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