title: Patient-physician relationships in the information age.
abstract: The ready and free availability of information that characterizes the Information Age--with health information on the Internet and direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs as two of these major information sources--is bringing about significant changes in patient-physician relationships. By developing a matrix of intended and unintended consequences and desirable and undesirable consequences, it's possible to have a better understanding of the impact of the free flow of information on this traditional relationship. Ultimately, any marketing approach to these newly empowered patients must take their level of health care knowledge into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marketing, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramaprasad
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D020407:Internet; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D010358:Patient Participation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011209:Power, Psychological; D014481:United States