Internet and Telemedicine in Doctor-Patient Communication

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2022-2023

Topic

Today, doctor-patient communication is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to digital technologies. The rise of the internet, social media and other digital tools for medical purposes has led to acquiring new skills.
The course aims to demonstrate the impact of the internet on the doctor-patient relationship and it allows medical students to practice and apply communicative strategies with the help of simulation patients, preparing them for the communication challenges generated by the internet.
During the course, students will learn about the characteristics of teleconsultation and the health care system's response to the changes in COVID-19, both internationally and domestically. A further aim is to present current research conducted at the UPMS and introduce the results of a linguistic-communicative approach of GP and specialist consultations.

Lectures

• 1. Medical internet use and the attitudes of doctors - Szántóné Dr. Csongor Alexandra
• 2. Health-related internet use of the patients, the concept of telemedicine - Szántóné Dr. Csongor Alexandra

Practices

Seminars

• 1. Patient preferences in health and illness-related internet use
• 2. The impact of internet use and teleconsultation on decision-making mechanisms in the doctor-patient relationship
• 3. Internet-informed patients, Google patient and E-patient
• 4. Reliable sources, the well-informed patient
• 5. The role/reaction of the doctor in communicating with the Internet-informed patient
• 6. Communication strategies: Patient-Web-Doctor, doctor-patient communication in telemedicine
• 7. The characteristics, advantages and limitations of doctor-patient teleconsultations
• 8. Doctor-patient teleconsultation before and after COVID pandemic
• 9. Communication skills exercises with simulated patients
• 10. Communication skills exercises with simulated patients

Reading material

Obligatory literature

Literature developed by the Department

Notes

Recommended literature

• Caiata-Zufferey, M., & Schulz, P. J. (2012). Physicians' communicative strategies in interacting with internet-informed patients: Results from a qualitative study. Health Communication, 27(8), 738–749. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2011.636478
• Herrmann-Werner, A., Weber, H., Loda, T., Keifenheim, K. E., Erschens, R., Mölbert, S. C., Nikendei, C., Zipfel, S., & Masters, K. (2019). “But dr google said…” – training medical students how to communicate with e-patients. Medical Teacher, 41(12), 1434–1440. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2018.1555639
• Gerber, B. S., & Eiser, A. R. (2001). The Patient-Physician relationship in the Internet AGE: Future prospects and the research agenda. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3.2.e15
• Marcinkiewicz, M., & Mahboobi, H. (2009). The impact of the internet on the doctor-patient relationship. Australasian Medical Journal, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.4066/amj.2009.69
• McMullan, M. (2006). Patients using the

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

Maximum of 25 % absence allowed

Mid-term exams

A written report and a simulation based roleplay activity

Making up for missed classes

The course instructor can decide in individual cases

Exam topics/questions

Students are required to submit a written essay and participate in simulation-based roleplay activities.

Examiners

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars

• Dr. Fekete Judit Diána
• Egyed Csilla Klára
• Nagy Renáta
• Szántóné Dr. Csongor Alexandra