Rise in Patient Misinformation Challenges Physicians' Ability to Provide Quality Care
A survey by the Physicians Foundation found 61% of doctors encounter patients influenced by medical misinformation or disinformation a moderate or great deal over the past year. 86% of physicians reported increased patient misinformation since the pandemic, with 50% noting significant growth. 57% of doctors said such misinformation impacts their ability to provide quality care. The survey highlights how medical falsehoods, especially online, affect patient decisions, including canceling procedures due to vaccine skepticism. Physicians Foundation president Dr. Gary Price noted misinformation undermines doctors' core motivation to help patients and risks burnout. Health officials like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. contribute to the problem with false claims. Experts warn healthcare workers struggle to address pseudoscientific beliefs during brief consultations, and further research is needed on physicians' susceptibility to misinformation themselves.