More and more people get medical advice on the Internet. However, from the point of view of the medical association, „Dr. Google“ can not replace the personal office visit. „The constant accessibility of more or less accurate medical information on the Internet leads to much uncertainty in many patients,“ said Chamber President Martina Wenker on the occasion of the so-called Lower Saxony Digital Summit Health on Wednesday.
Wenker referred to the anxiety disorder „cyberchondria“. People goog on their own symptoms and unreasonably develop serious illnesses. „We physicians need to take the fears of these patients seriously and put the many pieces of information right for them – and most of all, it’s in direct doctor-patient contact.“
The event on Wednesday not only deals with „cyberchondry“ but also with telemedicine. From the 1st of December, patients may also be treated exclusively by telephone, SMS, e-mail or online chat. Previously, this was only possible after a first personal contact in practice. The German Medical Association had launched the easing of distance treatment in May. However, the individual regional medical associations must also agree.
