The Impact of Web 2.0 on the Doctor-Patient Relationship

The hypothetical case of Mr. Jenkins illustrates innovations in digital health information technology that may profoundly change medical care and the doctorpatient relationship. The Internet contains enormous amounts of health information, and about threequarters of Internet users look online for health information. 1 Sometimes patients bring information they found on the Internet to their physicians. Physicians and patients can also now communicate by e-mail rather than by telephone or office visits, although these e-mail communications may not be integrated into the patient’s medical record. Furthermore, electronic medical records are slowly being adopted, particularly in hospitals and large integrated health systems. Funding to promote the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) has been included in the 2009 federal stimulus package under the Obama Administration.