The Implications of Internet Use in the Doctor–Patient Relationship: A Case Study in A Hospital in the City of São Paulo - Brazil

Resumo

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate the influence of the Internet on the patient–physician relationship as perceived by physicians. We used a self-administered questionnaire about physician perception on the use of the Internet by patients and about whether that use interferes with the doctor–patient relationship. Of 116 physicians responding, 85.3% reported that their patients accessed the Internet and that 92% used that information in a following visit. When a patient seeks information on the Internet, the medical visit takes longer, according to 46.6% of the respondents, and 42.2% stated that patients brought information that was not known by the doctors themselves. Overall, 56.9% of the physicians thought that the Internet helped the doctor–patient relationship, 27.6% thought it interfered with the relationship, and 15.5% believed that the Internet had a negative impact.

DOI: 10.5585/rgss.v2i1.53