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As Founder of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women, www.NABBW.com, I have spoken about the Top Ten Trends for Baby Boomer Women. While listening to the Early Show this morning, I was not surprised to hear the term webnosis which I interpretted as people using the internet for a medical diagnosis.
One of my top ten trends for baby boomers is health management. I refer to it this way because boomers want to be involved in their health care. We want to help manage ourselves medically. We do not go to the doctors and respond with “yes sir and no sir” as prior generations have done.
The baby boomer generation does not take what the doctors say as gospel. Baby boomers want to take part in their health care. They do so by researching online and sharing their thoughts and knowledge with doctors who are willing to listen. Often, prior to doctor visits, baby boomers have already made a diagnosis. We want to confer with our doctor to make sure we are correct and treated properly.
I recall when Mom was suffering from lung cancer. My sister was in an online cancer forum and learned about a medication that might help Mom. She shared the medication with Mom’s doctor hoping it would be her cure. He had not heard of the medicine, but quickly did his online research then shared that it wasn’t a good match for Mom. He thanked my sister, sharing that he would certainly consider it for other patients. This is cooperative medicine. This is how doctors who are willing to listen to their patients can practice.
What about you? Do you practice self-diagnosis online? Are your doctors willing to listen and work with you?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I certainly have used the web for information regarding aches and pains, etc. I have looked up medications and their side effects or interactions with other drugs.
I have had conversations with my doctors in regards to online research or articles I have read. I have good relationships with these physicians, and they are usually receptive to information from a good source.
I’ve never really tried to self-diagnose myself online. Takes too much effort. Seriously.
I prefer to be diagnosed what I have by a doctor, etc. and then, search the Internet for supplementary info. Cuts down me the idiot, winnowing out the extraneous info.
It’s important to remember that one of my sisters is a family and emergency services physician who lives over 4,000 kms. I consult her initially to assist myself with better info. to ask better questions of my real face-to-face doctor later and to search the Internet myself.
Another sister is a licensed pharmacist at a research hospital. Hence, I can and have asked for her opinion on drug therapy since her knowledge can be more detailed than a physician for certain drugs. It’s tough for family physicians to stay on top of new drug developments.
Joan, sounds like you’ve found great doctors who are willing to work with you. Doctors who leave their egos at the door are going to be the most successful lwith our generation. We want doctors who will work with us.
orchid, you are blessed to have family in the medical field. Your comment about it being tough for the doctors to keep up with everything is exactly why they should be grateful for the patients research skills.
Mom’s doctor was happy to learn of a new drug that may help other patients. I liked his attitude.
Yes, I do. We have the NHS Direct which we could consult online for symptoms. It also offers further telephone consultations with nurses on duty who advise accordingly and appropriately. Being that we have socialised healthcare over here, it also relieves the primary carers with minor health issues which would otherwise crowd GP surgeries. Our NHS Direct is at the forefront with the battle on swine flu.
I think our generation is reaping the rewards of online technology when it comes to healthcare. One cannot discount the tremendous support offered by various forum communities on respective illnesses. I was a member of Hystersisters and the group of women over there helped tremendously with practical help post-op. BTW, I came across BWS by way of that group. See? There’s really more benefit beyond the medical.
God bless.
Lola, you are a bit aheaad of us over there. I believe we are heading in that direction. Part of the segment on the Early Show was about doctors doing online house-calls. What a world we live in. Amazing to me.