Calling Dr Google

Having access to so much health information online is both a blessing and a curse. Here’s what you need to know

- Jane Surtees

When she arrived at the outpatient department of the hospital Lindiwe* was very clear about her condition.

She had a dry, itchy patch on her right nipple that had been there for the past two weeks. She had done her homework and told the healthcare provider who attended to her she had Paget’s disease of the nipple, which is a rare form of breast cancer.

The medical professional on duty, clinical associate Annelise Ahir, diagnosed something different – and much less serious. She said it was a fungal infection and prescribed an antifungal drug and topical corticosteroid cream for treatment.

But Lindiwe (23) was having none of it. She wanted to be sent for chemotherapy to treat the cancer she was convinced she had, and she demanded to be seen by another healthcare provider.

Ahir’s experience is becoming a common phenomenon for medical staff thanks to self-diagnosis on the internet – what is often referred to as Dr Google.

“Patients often come to health facilities having drawn a conclusion about their condition and telling us what they want to be done,” says KwaZulu-Natal-based GP Dr Thuthukile Goba. “Sometimes when you offer advice that’s different to what they expect, there’s a lot of resistance.

“This is more common in the public sector where patients don’t choose the doctor who’s going to treat them. Some even insult and threaten the doctors and nurses who don’t give in to their demands.”

THE PATIENT PORTAL