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GOOD Doctors Should Not Practice BAD Medicine
I've waited too long to get this blog off my chest.
Recently I have encountered a run of visitors to our WebMD Vision & Eye Disorder Community that seek specific clinical diagnoses and/or treatment recommendations for their eye concerns.
Usually there may be one or two such inquiries per week and I typically dispatch them with kind words that remind the member of what online services are available at WebMD. Rendering diagnoses, offering consultation referrals, and providing treatment recommendations are not included. Simply stated - it's not what we do.
Lately there has been a barrage of visitors seeking immediate online clinical services; immediate as in 'right now, doc!' Simply restated - it's not what we do.
Because WebMD is not a clinic, and because WebMD cannot perform online eye exams, WebMD cannot speculate about a person's health problems. Such behavior would be unethical and the purest form of bad medicine.
Click here to read WebMD's complete Terms & Conditions regarding the information it shares. I have included this one excerpt:
I love responding to members' posts. Sometimes, whether due to volume or time constraints, I cannot reply to every message and when that happens I am occasionally flamed. After 3 or 4 replies to the same visitor I need to move on in order to be fair to others patiently waiting their turn. We all are trying to find balance in our lives, right?
There, I've said it! I hope you will continue frequent visits to our member community. All I ask beforehand is that you remember that the Internet has limitations. Nothing will replace face time or phone time with your individual doctor.
Related Topics: Becoming a More Informed Patient, About WebMD: FAQs
Technorati Tags: webmd, internet, online medicine
Recently I have encountered a run of visitors to our WebMD Vision & Eye Disorder Community that seek specific clinical diagnoses and/or treatment recommendations for their eye concerns.
Usually there may be one or two such inquiries per week and I typically dispatch them with kind words that remind the member of what online services are available at WebMD. Rendering diagnoses, offering consultation referrals, and providing treatment recommendations are not included. Simply stated - it's not what we do.
Lately there has been a barrage of visitors seeking immediate online clinical services; immediate as in 'right now, doc!' Simply restated - it's not what we do.
Because WebMD is not a clinic, and because WebMD cannot perform online eye exams, WebMD cannot speculate about a person's health problems. Such behavior would be unethical and the purest form of bad medicine.
Click here to read WebMD's complete Terms & Conditions regarding the information it shares. I have included this one excerpt:
THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
The contents of WebMD are for informational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the WebMD Site! If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. WebMD does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by WebMD, WebMD employees, others appearing on the Site at the invitation of WebMD, or other visitors to the Site is solely at your own risk.
I love responding to members' posts. Sometimes, whether due to volume or time constraints, I cannot reply to every message and when that happens I am occasionally flamed. After 3 or 4 replies to the same visitor I need to move on in order to be fair to others patiently waiting their turn. We all are trying to find balance in our lives, right?
There, I've said it! I hope you will continue frequent visits to our member community. All I ask beforehand is that you remember that the Internet has limitations. Nothing will replace face time or phone time with your individual doctor.
Related Topics: Becoming a More Informed Patient, About WebMD: FAQs
Technorati Tags: webmd, internet, online medicine
