Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30564661›Full record

ArticleBJGP open2017

The effect of Dr Google on doctor-patient encounters in primary care: a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study.

Noor Van Riel, Koen Auwerx, Pieterjan Debbaut, Sanne Van Hees, Birgitte Schoenmakers

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BJGP open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 57 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
57citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
13.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

57 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 154 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Readability of Online Patient Education Materials for Myopia Management.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Noor Van RielGP and Researcher, Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Koen AuwerxGP and Researcher, Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Pieterjan DebbautGP and Researcher, Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Sanne Van HeesGP and Researcher, Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Birgitte SchoenmakersGP and Professor of General Practice, Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Primary Health Care · QAKU Leuven · BE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTwo-thirds of all patients search the internet prior to a health consultation.

aimTo explore how searching for online health information before visiting a doctor influences patients' behaviour during the consultation. DESIGN &

settingA quantitative, observational, and cross-sectional study of 18-75-year-old patients who used the internet.

methodPatients were recruited by social media for the quantitative study. This was followed by a qualitiative study of GPs who were questioned in focus groups. Two questions were addressed: What is the effect of searching online health information on the behaviour of the patients? How does the GP handle this information?

resultsAlmost half of all responders (total DISCUSSION: Patients usually made an appointment with their GP after the internet search. New symptoms are rarely noticed and the search usually did not lead patients to distrust their GP. The majority of GPs described positive effects of the online search behaviour on the consultation.

conclusionThe emerging use of the internet for searching health information, commonly referred to as 'Dr Google', is not seen as a threat by GPs and leads to a better mutual understanding of symptoms and diagnosis.

Indexed as

health carepatient educationpatient empowermentprimary care

Identifiers

PMID30564661
PMCPMC6169945
OpenAlexW2616270221

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.