Health Information
Review of Systems
For Doctors and Patients
Matthew Katz, MD
July 2014

Overview
 Patients need useful health information
 Want it from health care providers
 Often easier to find online than to get from doctor
 Medical jargon always creates barriers
 ~72% of U.S. adults went online for health information
in 2012*
*Source: Pew Internet, http://bit.ly/1lZnCAY

Overview
 Doctors want patients to get correct health
information
 Time constraints
 Online resources often not trusted
 Frustrated when precious time focuses on
 Incorrect or exaggerated information
 Peripheral issues distracting from main concern

Both of us need help!
 Patients should feel that doctors
 Do listen
 Are interested
 Doctors should feel that patients
 Do listen
 Do trust them
 Too much time and energy wasted
 Patient-doctor relationship damaged

Solution – Start With…
 Medical history that includes reviewing
systems and screening for other possible
health problems
 Identifying patients’ learning styles and needs

Health Information Review of Systems
 Allows doctors to
 Assess what patients value
 Assess how patients learn and retain information
 Correct habits of gathering online information
 Educate about effective learning habits
 Identify and suggest reliable online health resources

Questions to Ask
 Where do you get health information?
 For focused health problem, make it specific (e.g.
Parkinson’s, cancer)
 What kind online health information have you
used?
 Google or another search engine
 Health information websites (static, non-interactive)
 Discussion forums
 Health-oriented social networks
 Health self-tracking websites, apps or devices

More Questions
 How do you access online health information?
 Desktop, laptop, smartphone?
 Why seek health information online or off?
 Helps identify patient’s key values/concerns re: health
and health decisions
 Helps define role
 How do you learn best: see or hear or do?

Why ask?
 Demonstrates interest
 Care about how patients learn
 Identify more effective ways to get health information
 Good investment
 Identify counterproductive learning habits
 Opportunity to educate patient about better resources
 Discover new resources to help other patients

What doctors should have ready
 Inventory of information provided (e.g.
handouts)
 Educational goal(s)
 List of reliable, credible online resources plus
cautions about what to avoid

What patients should have ready
 Learning priorities and concerns
 Which online resources currently being used
 What kinds of online resources work best

Summary
 Patients deserve accurate, useful health
information.
 Doctors should be able to share health
information effectively and efficiently.
 Talking about online health information early
on helps ensure a healthier, more productive
relationship between doctors and patients.

Questions?
You’re invited to contact me:
 Twitter: @subatomicdoc
 Website:
http://www.subatomicdoc.com/social-media.html