Armed And Dangerous Patients

by Several People

Is knowledge power?

The method by which patients receive health information continues to change in this new age of increased information and technology.

(Feb 2003 Journal of the National Medical Association. From COSHAR Medical Inc., 8601 Martin Luther King Hwy., Lanham, MD 20706, USA. docsforyou@cosharmedical.com )

Long gone are the days of the mystique surrounding the physician's prescribing of a medication to cure their patient's ailment. In recent years, this mystique has been replaced with more informed patients who bring their questions and concerns to their doctor in anticipation of open dialogue.

At the other end of the spectrum are the patients who come to the visit armed with notes, copies of Web pages, information from their home medical reference books and information heard or seen from the latest advertisements directed to the consumer about a medication for a self diagnosed disease.


(Dr. Tom: Click here to read the abstract The authors raise lots of questions.)