Cyber patients cause GPs anxiety

GPs feel anxious when patients bring information from the internet to a consultation, but are developing strategies to overcome their anxiety, according to a new study.

Research to be published in the February issue of the British Journal of General Practice found GPs “experienced considerable anxiety” when patients brought online information into consultations.

It found their concerns focus on the poor quality of some online information, the time involved in dealing with internet information, and a feeling that their expertise is being challenged.

Lead author Dr Sanjiv Ahluwalia, a GP in Stanmore, said government policy was to encourage self-help among patients and that the internet was increasingly being used for health information.

However, he said there was little research on the role of the internet in the doctor-patient consultation.

The researchers – a multidisciplinary team including two GPs, a sociologist and health service researchers – wrote to all GP practices in north central London, inviting participants for the study.

A total of 11 GPs – including five partners, three locums, and three salaried doctors, of which six were women and five men – were subsequently interviewed. The doctors came from a range of ethnic backgrounds and ages with a median year of qualification of 1989.

The study found that doctors felt uncomfortable when patients initially presented with information from the internet but concluded that the GPs interviewed used “sophisticated mechanisms” for dealing with their emotions.

Approaches adopted including buying time in a consultation, learning from previous consultations and using the internet as an ally by directing patients to particular websites.

The study concluded that social change was leading to a more equitable balance of power between doctors and patients.

The researchers added: “GPs have responded to this shifting balance in power by reshaping their role from gatekeepers of secondary care services to facilitators of information interpretation and decision making, to help patients make informed choices about their journey through the healthcare system.”

They said the strategies adopted by the doctors interviewed could help others struggling with internet-informed patients.

The researchers acknowledged that main problem with the study was the small number of interviewees. However, they said it had not been possible to interview GPs who admitted to strong negative views about patients bringing information from the internet to consultations.