title: The ethics of physicians' web searches for patients' information.
abstract: When physicians search the web for personal information about their patients, others have argued that this undermines patients' trust, and the physician-patient relationship in general. We add that this practice also places other relationships at risk, and could jeopardize a physician's career. Yet there are also reports of web searches that have unambiguously helped in the care of patients, suggesting circumstances in which a routine search of the web could be beneficial. We advance the notion that, just as nonverbal cues and unsolicited information can be useful in clinical decision making, so too can online information from patients. As electronic records grow more voluminous and span more types of data, searching these resources will become a clinical skill, to be used judiciously and with care--just as evaluating the literature is, today. But to proscribe web searches of patients' information altogether is as nonsensical as disregarding findings from physical exams-instead, what's needed are guidelines for when to look and how to evaluate what's uncovered, online.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Box 1620, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, New York 10029 USA. nicholas.genes@mountsinai.org.
authors: Nicholas
authors: N
authors: Genes
authors: Mount Sinai Hospital, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, New York USA.
authors: Jacob
authors: J
authors: Appel
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D010820:Physicians / Q000941:ethics*