Medical

Let’s be honest. You’ve done it. I’ve done it. We’ve all done it.

The mysterious twinge in your back, that annoying rash you can’t identify, or a headache that must mean something dramatic. Hopefully, any pain will not be exacerbated if you read to the end of this blog.

Or perhaps resort to an off-duty doctor who is probably trying to recharge their batteries?

Naturally, you head straight to the world’s most trusted medical advisor: Dr Google. After all, who needs six years of medical training when you’ve got some sort of Wi-Fi connection and a keyboard?

Welcome to the bizarre new frontier of digital healthcare, where search engines, social media and Telehealth collide in a confusing cocktail of helpfulness and hysteria.

The Instant Appeal Of Digital Diagnosis

There’s something incredibly satisfying about searching your symptoms at 2 a.m. and diagnosing yourself with a rare tropical disease before sunrise.

It’s quick, free and doesn’t require you actually to talk to anyone—what’s not to love?

In fact, a 2019 study by MedicalDirector found that 87% of young Australians turn to the internet for health advice. Why?

Because it’s available 24/7, it won’t make you sit in a waiting room and offers answers in seconds. Of course, whether those answers are accurate is another question entirely.

And it’s not just Dr Google who’s stepping in. Social media has joined the party. (Read my blog on social media here).

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta, are now flooded with people seeking advice from anyone who will listen.

You’ll find someone proclaiming that their aunt cured her eczema by Reiki or that Bob’s cousin’s haemorrhoids disappeared after using essential oils.

Yes, welcome to the chaotic world of social media medicine, where everyone is an “expert” and anecdotal evidence reigns supreme.

The Perils Of People-Powered Diagnoses

Of course, there’s a downside to this crowd-sourced medical advice and it’s a big one. Not only is the internet full of well-meaning but often misguided information, it’s also downright dangerous at times.

A report by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) found that Dr Google gets it wrong about 60% of the time. That’s right—more than half the time, the internet’s medical musings are flat-out incorrect.

And it gets worse.

While social media can make you feel like you’re tapping into the collective wisdom of millions, in reality, you’re often just getting the worst advice from people who think they know more than they do.

Sure, your neighbour’s cousin may have cured their sniffles with a homemade tonic, but does that mean it’s the right solution for you? Probably not. And, let’s be honest, social media is where nuance and complexity go to die.

Before you know it, you’re scrolling through Facebook comments trying to figure out if that rash is deadly or just the result of too much laundry detergent, all while Aunt Mary shares another article about a miracle cure for arthritis that involves eating mangoes whilst pressing on the affected area for dear life?

AI And The All-Knowing Algorithm

If Google searches and social media aren’t enough to send you into a tailspin, AI is here to shake things up further.

With AI-driven symptom checkers and chatbots popping up left, right and centre, it feels like we’re on the verge of replacing GPs with algorithms. But, spoiler alert: we’re not.

AI can certainly be helpful—it’s great at sifting through mountains of data and offering probabilities. But it lacks one crucial element: a certified medical or nursing degree.

Try this tool for instance and see what nonsense it can eventually output – DrChatGPT.

According to Lifespan Health System, AI-driven tools may help narrow down possible conditions. Still, they lack the all-important human touch (and, let’s face it, the ability to make a good cup of tea or offer you a shoulder to cry on after delivering bad news).

No matter how advanced technology gets, it can’t match a real doctor or nurse’s critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

(Read more about my thoughts on AI here.)

Enter Telehealth: The Sane Middle Ground

Now, before you despair at the thought of choosing between bad advice from Google, essential oil enthusiasts on Instagram and faceless algorithms on Tik-tok, let me introduce you to a more sensible option: Telehealth.

In a stroke of digital genius, Telehealth offers the best of both worlds—professional medical advice without the inconvenience of leaving your house.

Since the pandemic, Telehealth has seen a massive boom. According to MedicalDirector, the popularity of Telehealth services soared as people discovered the convenience of getting expert medical advice via a video call, with no waiting room required.

It’s the ultimate cheat code—talk to a real doctor from your sofa, still in your pyjamas and avoid the chaos of online misinformation entirely.

The advent of Telehealth has shown us that, while Dr Google might be convenient, it’s no substitute for real expertise.

Bias, Clickbait And The Curse Of Confirmation

So, what’s the problem with trusting the internet to tell you why your back’s sore, or your toes are turning blue? The issue lies not just in the accuracy (or lack thereof) but also in the way search engines work.

The internet isn’t designed to prioritise truth—it’s designed to show you what’s most clickable.

Thanks to algorithms that favour popularity over reliability, you’re more likely to end up on a website with a catchy headline than one with solid medical advice.

It’s clickbait heaven.

Add to that confirmation bias (the tendency to believe what you already suspect) and you have a recipe for disaster.

If you’re already convinced you have a rare tropical disease, Dr Google may kindly confirm that, yes, you should panic immediately and go immerse yourself in bleach or hand sanitiser.

And social media? It’s the wild west of medical advice. Everyone has an opinion, and somehow, all those opinions end up in your newsfeed. What could possibly go wrong?

The Doctor Is Still In: Why GPs Aren’t Going Anywhere

With all this technology at our disposal, are doctors a thing of the past? Hardly.

In fact, the opposite is true. While Telehealth bridges the gap between convenience and credibility, real-life GPs remain irreplaceable.

A 2023 report from the RACGP found that 77% of Australians still trust their GP more than any other source for medical advice, despite 7 out of 10 GPs experiencing some form of burnout.

Shocking, right? The experts, however, are still… experts.

And why wouldn’t they be? Doctors and nurses not only undergo years of medical training, but they also have the experiential ability to consider your entire medical history, interpret subtle symptoms, and, believe it or not, grasp the bigger picture.

No algorithm can examine your knee, perform your potentially life-saving PAP smear, ask follow-up questions, or offer reassurance when you’re convinced your headache or bunions are the start of something apocalyptic.

The Verdict: Use The Internet (But Use It Wisely)

Let’s be clear: the internet isn’t inherently evil when it comes to medical advice. It’s just a tool and like any tool, it’s only applicable if you know how to wield it effectively.

Government health websites, medical journals and well-established organisations can offer valuable information.

But here’s the catch—it should be supplemental to professional advice, not a replacement.

Use Telehealth if you want convenient access to a doctor without leaving home but resist the urge to replace their wisdom with whatever happens to be trending on X.

The internet is great for cat videos and checking the weather—but when it comes to your health, it’s always best to get a second opinion from someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.

What’s Next: The Future Of Medical Misinformation?

As we head further into this strange digital future, one question remains: will we ever see a day where online diagnoses truly rival real doctors?

Or will we continue to live in this bizarre world where searching your symptoms online gives you answers, anxiety and absurdity all at once?

Oh, by all means, next time you feel the urge to consult Dr Google or scroll through X for medical wisdom, pause and reflect: is your GP really the kind of expert who would recommend Reiki for eczema?

Or, better yet, why not just book a Telehealth appointment?

Because in a world full of algorithms, there’s nothing quite like the wisdom of a real, live human doctor or nurse.

They may even be ready to perform the much-needed “disinformationectomy” on the benign yet irritating mass of online medical nonsense you’ve printed off, shredding those papers faster than any keto diet could ever shred kilos.

So count: “How many thumb counts did it take you to scroll down to the bottom to read to the end?”

Perhaps next time, you should “caveat lector et auditor” before you turn into a relentless, doom-scrolling cyberchondriac.

Thoughts and comments welcome.

About the author

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Dr Surrinder Singh is a medical doctor, blogger and freelance writer. He is passionate about healthcare, medicine and education and works professionally with B2B and B2C clients.