title: Non-physicians may reach correct diagnoses by using Google: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We endeavoured to determine whether individuals who are not physicians are likely to arrive at correct diagnoses by using Internet resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study four non-physicians used Google to search for diagnoses. They reviewed the 26 diagnostic cases presented in the case records of the New England Journal of Medicine during 2005; they were blind to the correct diagnoses. The main measurement was the percentage of correct diagnoses arrived at by non-physicians by using Google. The diagnostic success of the four non-physicians was compared to that of four young physicians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average diagnostic success of non-physicians was 22.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.5-39.7%). There was no statistically significant difference between the non-physicians regarding this outcome (p = 0.11). They took 8.9 +/- 6.7 (mean +/- standard deviation) minutes for case record reading and 17.4 +/- 7.9 minutes for Google searching per case. Non-physicians performed worse than physicians (50.9% [95% CI 37.4-64.5%]) in regard to diagnostic success (p <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-physicians, at least those who have similar characteristics to the participants in the present study, may occasionally reach correct diagnoses by performing a brief web-based search. Doctors should realise that patients may assume a more active role in their health decision-making process and take this development into consideration in physician-patient interaction.
authors.affiliation: Alfa Institute of Biomedical (AIBS), Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Ilias I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Siempos
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spanos
authors.forename: Evangelos A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Issaris
authors.forename: Petros I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Rafailidis
authors.forename: Matthew E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Falagas
mesh_terms: D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003933:Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult