Social networking: Not always beneficial for patients

New forms of communication have much to offer, and can help to improve the relationship between doctors and patients, as well as making patients more informed about their health and illness. In my own medical practice, we now offer online access to medical records and patients are starting to use this, particularly for ordering prescriptions and booking appointments. But there can also a downside to new technology, as shown by the recent incident of "bleachgate", which illustrates some of the problems that can arise from the use of these newer methods of communication, such as social networking. In this episode, a 15 year old boy from South Wales, Rhys Morgan, showing remarkable maturity and ability for some one so young, pointed out the problems that could be caused by a putative remedy for Crohn's disease that was being publicised on an online forum for people with Crohn's. Rather than being commended for his actions in exposing a dangerous treatment that could have harmed patients, he ended up being banned from the group. To learn more about this episode, take a look at Rhys' video blog about the affair.

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