The Advantages & Disadvantages of Having an Online Doctor

The ability to access medical information and the services of doctors online has altered traditional means of how people use physicians. Online doctors, pharmacies and medical advice have proliferated over the past few years, and now millions of people around the world make the Internet their first stop for most medical matters.

Cost

• One of the more obvious advantages to using Internet doctors and health-care services is cost. It is a lot cheaper to access medical advice online than it is in person, from consultancy charges to transportation and parking costs, as well as time. Prescriptions can be cheaper and basic medical advice can be totally free. In many places where a visit to a doctor may cost significant sums this is very attractive, especially if the complaint is seemingly minor. A disadvantage is that because it is so cheap it may discourage people from seeing a doctor in person who may spot other more serious ailments.

Anonymity

• A big attraction of online health care is its anonymity. Many people put off going to the doctor for years because they are simply too embarrassed. Without having to talk to another human being face to face, these people can have their complaint diagnosed and have a treatment prescribed literally without another soul ever knowing about it. Disadvantages are that, again, people may be misdiagnosed, and more important ailments the people are unaware of may be missed. Furthermore, the anonymity can undermine actual in-person patient-doctor relationships on the occasions when they are necessary.

Quality

• The biggest disadvantage of online medical care is quality and reliability. There are millions of fakes and cons on the Internet in every area and health care is no exception. There are no guarantees and much less control and regulation over the quality of the advice or the medications people receive. Accreditation can be false or non-existent. Scams that prey on vulnerable people can be costly. And the advice people receive can be completely false and potentially harmful or even life-threatening.

Convenience

• One of the main attractions of conducting any form of personal business over the Internet has always been convenience. People can self-diagnose and get basic medical advice and treatments without leaving their homes and with the click of a mouse. The access to medical knowledge online is unprecedented and ordinary people can become very informed about simple, or serious, complaints and conditions within a few hours of research.