The Impact of the internet on the Doctor-patient relationship

Marcinkiewicz, Marta; Mahboobi, Hamidreza

doi:10.4066/amj.2009.69

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…However, some patients seek health information because they are dissatisfied or discontented with their physicians. In addition, some physicians believe that their patients cannot assess the reliability of health information, and a minority of physicians may object to their patients seeking other information because they feel challenged, resulting in physician hostility, low healthcare quality, anxiety, and frustration among patients [26, 27]. A previous survey [27] indicated that physicians generally admitted that health information can significantly help improve patients’ health; however, 40% of physicians worried that such health information might adversely affect the physician-patient relationship.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why do patients follow physicians’ advice? The influence of patients’ regulatory focus on adherence: an empirical study in China

Zhang

et al. 2019

BMC Health Serv Res

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Background In general, medical regimens and treatments are more likely to be effective if patients follow their physicians’ advice. However, limited studies have focused on the relationship between regulatory focus and patient adherence. This study explores the antecedents of patient adherence employing regulatory focus theory. Methods This study established a research model consisting of two independent variables, two mediators, one dependent variable, two moderators, three control variables, and six hypotheses. An online survey involving 336 valid responses was conducted to collect data in China. We used structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis to test the hypotheses and to develop the research model. Results The reliability and validity of the measures were accepted. In terms of control variables, age had a positive effect on conservative treatment-related health information seeking behaviour, and patients with different resident statuses held different attitudes towards seeking conservative treatment-related health information. However, educational level did not have any effect on the variables of the research model. The hypothesis testing results corroborate that promotion focus had a positive impact on patients’ emerging treatment-related health information seeking behaviour; prevention focus had a positive impact on patients’ conservative treatment-related health information seeking behaviour, which had a positive impact on patient adherence. In addition, media campaigns had a positive impact on the relationship between promotion focus and emerging treatment-related health information seeking behaviour, and website reputation had a positive impact on the relationship between prevention focus and conservative treatment-related health information seeking behaviour. Conclusions Individuals can be encouraged to seek health information and share health-related knowledge through mass media, such as the Internet, when the quality of information, especially information from online sources, is guaranteed. In addition, physicians need to improve their professionalism and expand their knowledge of conservative healthcare. As a further application of our work, an Internet information recommendation system can be designed to recommend different types of health information for users according to their regulatory focus. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4127-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why do patients follow physicians’ advice? The influence of patients’ regulatory focus on adherence: an empirical study in China

Zhang

et al. 2019

BMC Health Serv Res

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“…Therefore, they can obtain additional information and knowledge regarding healthcare and their illnesses in addition to those provided by their physicians [ 8 ]. However, a previous survey found that patients who are dissatisfied with and who distrust their physicians are more likely to seek health information online [ 5 ], and physicians are concerned that health information obtained outside of hospitals may have adverse effects on their relationships with patients [ 9 ]. Specifically, patients may choose to trust fragmented information and unprofessional medical knowledge obtained online, but may distrust physicians’ advice and make inappropriate self-diagnoses [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mature or Emerging? The Impact of Treatment-Related Internet Health Information Seeking on Patients’ Trust in Physicians

Zhang

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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Years of clinical trials have proven the maturity and safety of certain treatments, however, some of these mature treatments may not be highly effective. Several treatments have emerged through technological innovations, but their long-term safety, efficacy, and adverse effects remain unknown. At present, many patients seek information related to their treatments on the Internet, which may impact their attitudes towards different treatments and their trust in physicians. In this study, a research model was developed to examine how patients’ trust in their physicians is influenced by related online information on mature or emerging treatments. The hypotheses were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). A total of 336 valid responses were collected through an online survey. Mature treatments related health information was found to significantly improve patients’ trust. Thus, physicians should pay more attention to mature treatments, and encourage their patients to seek related information online. Moreover, the quality of online information should be developed further to increase patients’ satisfaction. Physicians should also consider their patients’ psychological safety in communication with patients to strengthen their trust.

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“…Some researchers noted that online health communities provide a platform where patients can obtain health information and emotional support from other patients or physicians, help foster positive interactions between patients and physicians, and improve patients’ trust in their physicians [ 18 ]. However, other researchers argued that patients seeking information online may have adverse effects on their relationships with physicians [ 22 , 23 ]. Patients may be suspicious of medical professionals when the medical information obtained online is inconsistent with the physician’s advice [ 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of Internet Use on Chinese Patients’ Trust-Related Primary Healthcare Utilization

et al. 2022

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Background: The internet has greatly improved the availability of medical knowledge and may be an important avenue to improve patients’ trust in physicians and promote primary healthcare seeking by reducing information asymmetry. However, very few studies have addressed the interactive impacts of both patients’ internet use and trust on primary healthcare-seeking decisions. Objective: To explore the impact of internet use on the relationship between patients’ trust in physicians and primary healthcare seeking among Chinese adults 18 years of age and older to understand the varieties of effects in different cities. Methods: Generalized linear mixed models were applied to investigate the interactive impacts of internet use and patients’ trust in physicians on primary healthcare seeking using pooled data from the China Family Panel Study of 2014 to 2018. We also compared these effects based on different levels of urbanization, ages, and PHC services. Results: Overall, a higher degree of patients’ trust (p < 0.001) was able to directly predict better primary healthcare seeking, and internet use significantly increased the positive effect of patients’ trust on primary healthcare seeking (p < 0.001). However, the marginal effect analysis showed that this effect was related to the level of patients’ trust and that internet use could reduce the positive effect of patients’ trust on primary healthcare seeking when the individual had a low level of trust (≤ 3 units). Further, the heterogeneity analysis indicated that the benefits from internet use were higher in cities with high urbanization, high aging, and high PHC service levels compared to cities with low levels of these factors. Conclusions: The internet use may enhance patients’ trust-related PHC utilization. However, this impact is effective only if patients’ benchmark trust remains at a relatively high level. Comparatively, the role of internet use is more effective in areas with high urbanization, high aging and high PHC level. Thus, with increasing accessibility to the internet, the internet should be regulated to disseminate correct healthcare information. Moreover, in-depth integration of the internet and PHC should be promoted to provide excellent opportunities for patient participation, and different strategies should be set according to each city’s characteristics.

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The Impact of the internet on the Doctor-patient relationship

Cited by 6 publications

References 17 publications

Why do patients follow physicians’ advice? The influence of patients’ regulatory focus on adherence: an empirical study in China

Why do patients follow physicians’ advice? The influence of patients’ regulatory focus on adherence: an empirical study in China

Mature or Emerging? The Impact of Treatment-Related Internet Health Information Seeking on Patients’ Trust in Physicians

Impacts of Internet Use on Chinese Patients’ Trust-Related Primary Healthcare Utilization

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