Julia Moreland*, Moray College - University of the Highlands and Islands, Elgin, United Kingdom Track: Research Presentation Topic: Consumer empowerment, patient-physician relationship, and sociotechnical issues Presentation Type: Rapid-Fire Presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: Sol Principe Room: C - Almudaina Date: 2014-10-10 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM Last modified: 2014-09-03

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Background

Online health information is changing how patients interact with health professionals. Much research focuses on the minefield of unregulated information and the impact this has on positive and negative patient outcomes. However, it is vital that the health professional be considered in this process as this information potentially alters the power relationship between patient and health professional.

Objectives

The objective of this pilot study is to develop an appropriate methodological approach in order to gain some understanding of how online health information may be altering the power dynamic between patient and health professional. Pressure on health professionals to justify diagnosis and subsequent treatment recommendations is to be measured.

Methods

A focus group (n=10) is being conducted among health professionals in order to generate data which enables exploration of the power exchange between patient and health professional in relation to previously exclusive health information. This pilot study seeks to identify any negative impact on health professionals and discover whether it is possible to measure this impact by breaking interactions between actors into economic transactions.

Using Nvivo, a framework analysis will analyse evidence to support themes of power and efficacy in a healthcare context. Nvivo generates outputs which can allow the researcher to identify themes and patterns which may otherwise be difficult to see.

Results

Preliminary findings indicate that some health professionals are beginning to feel undermined by patient self-diagnosis and pressure to prescribe desired treatments based on online health information.

Conclusions

A research paradigm to investigate the extent and impact of online health information seeking on health professionals will be developed to inform a full-scale study on this important issue.