Millions of people across the globe use Google search to find information and updates about their preferred topics, from news, sports, cars, sports, movies to healthcare etc. However, as per a recent essay released by the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, a very peculiar searching pattern has come to light, that of doctors searching for information about their patients.

This incredible new habit has sparked a widespread debate over the ethical implications that it can have over the doctor-patient relationship. If I’m under the medical counsel of a doctor for some reason or the other, I would personally feel very violated to find that, the same doctor is Googling me to find more information, without my consent. In the essay, it has been argued that, this search pattern could infact be useful in cases of patients suffering from mental conditions, as for example, a doctor might be able to find more about mentally disturbed patient’s suicidal tendencies by visiting his or her blog. Similarly, some the author of the essay, David Brendel has stated that, although many of the patients could perceive this as breach of their privacy, at the same time, some patients might also appreciate the efforts of their doctors spending extra time, trying to know their patients better.

As fat as the ethical point of view of this new emerging pattern is concerned, Dr. Brendel along with fellow doctors, Benjamin Silverman and Brian Clinton have proposed some steps that, more so relate to the self-consciousness of an individual doctor, rather law books. As per the suggestions, those doctors who feel the need to check more about their patients online, should embark on a soul searching mission and try to prove to themselves, whether such an action is at all necessary and if so, what kind of implications would it cause between them and their patients. Also, doctors have been advised to take consent from their patients.

Via Digits & Informa Healthcare