The patient doesn’t always know best – How to “treat” medical misinformation

Description

Abstract: Medical misinformation has always been around. Historically, many people have relied on superstitions and folk remedies to address illnesses. Then came the internet and, with it, a never-ending array of dubious “health care” articles. This article offers some strategies for handling patients who come in with medical misinformation, including monitoring and identifying consistently cited sources of misinformation and directly addressing patient fears. It emphasizes the usefulness of patience and good communication skills in fighting medical misinformation.