The Difficulties of Becoming an E-Patient from a Google-patient. A Qualitative Research in Hungary

Technological inventions make the health care system more democratic. The patients increasing knowledge and awareness have an essential role in this. With the help of the Internet, not only the physician can follow the behaviour and condition of the patients more closely, but the patients are also able to monitor the doctor's work effectively. The new generation of patients actively deals with their health-related issues. They gather information with search engines and online social networks, and they turn to the health care system after they possess some knowledge about their medical state. We study, how the so-called e-patients change the most often paternalistic doctor-patient relationships. We conducted interviews with patients who invest considerable energy before consultations or treatments to find out the possible causes of their condition and the treatments available on the Internet. We conducted interviews with patients with severe chronic illnesses because we assume that they are motivated in gathering knowledge about therapeutic possibilities. The research question is how they use this knowledge in the doctor-patient relationship. Results show that these patients look for new online information constantly and thoroughly about their medical state and the possible treatments. They feel that they arrive at the consultation with more knowledge about the specific illness than what the doctors have got. In the end, they cannot speak about it because of the current constraints of the medical consultations.