Abstract
A growing number of patients make up their minds about some medical issue before they see their provider, either by googling their symptoms or asking a friend. They’ve made up their minds before coming in, and they resist their provider’s recommendations even after receiving information and advice from their provider. This is a new kind of medical autonomy problem; it differs from cases of standard consent, futility, or conscientious refusal. Providers sometimes call this problem “Dr. Google.” I call it premature consent. Providers may wonder whether these patient decisions command the same deference and respect as other patient decisions. The answer is “no,” for these patients are neither fully competent nor properly informed. They typically appear to be competent, but competence includes the ability to deliberate, and they are not deliberating well when they make up their minds before consulting a qualified provider. They seem informed, especially after talking to their provider, but they are misinformed about what sources of medical advice to trust. Moreover, being informed requires believing the information one has received, and these patients sometimes don’t believe the information their provider gives them.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
I owe this topic to Dr. Edward R. Newton, Brody School of Medicine, who alerted me to this problem some years ago.
Most of the text and content in this section draws heavily on correspondence with Dr. Edward R. Newton.
References
Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics (7th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mill, J. S. (1986). On liberty. Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Davis, J.K. Dr. Google and Premature Consent: Patients Who Trust the Internet More Than They Trust Their Provider. HEC Forum 30, 253–265 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10730-017-9338-z
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10730-017-9338-z