The document discusses how the relationship between doctors and patients is changing from a unidirectional model to a bidirectional model due to the increasing amount of medical information available online. It notes that the rate of new medical information has more than doubled in the last 20 years, making it impossible for doctors to know everything. As a result, patients are increasingly informed and motivated to help themselves by seeking information from social networks and online resources. This is shifting the interaction between doctors and patients to a more collaborative bidirectional model where physicians are no longer expected to have all the answers and patients play a more active role in their own care.

1. CHANGES AFOOT: A NEW MODEL
OF INTERACTION BETWEEN
DOCTORS AND ENGAGED
PATIENTS
H. Jack West, MD
Swedish Cancer Institute
Seattle, WA
Global Resource for Advancing Cancer Education
(GRACE)
www.cancerGRACE.org

2. The Unidirectional Model
Requires:
•a finite amount of medical information
•only the physician having access to it

3. NOBODY Can Keep Up with the
Torrent of New Medical Information
• Rate of new content more
than doubling in last 20 yrs
• More & more journals,
especially in oncology (>180)
(courtesy of Jason Priem/blog)
No wonder it feels overwhelming

5. Before and After Molecular Oncology
Before
After
Large populations
Small Populations
Marginal effects
Major benefits
Trials in hundreds of sites
Trials in very few sites
Generally rely on
oncologists to enroll
May well fall to patients
and caregivers to seek out

6. 25%
2000
81%
2011

8. Physicians may be concerned about
losing control over the discussion

9. Physicians remain the most trusted
source of information about medical
issues
From Fox, Peer to Peer Healthcare,
Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2011

10. www.CancerGRACE.org
a 501(c)3 nonprofit

11. Bidirectional Model

12. Network Model

13. Patients are HIGHLY MOTIVATED
to help themselves
www.CancerGRACE.org
a 501(c)3 nonprofit

14. Adapting to a new model:
Disruption comes with opportunities
• Relationships between patients and physicians
are changing
• Bidirectional
• Physicians no longer expected to know everything
out there to know
• Patients/caregivers will increasingly turn to social
networks and searchable online content
www.CancerGRACE.org
• Physicians will have a critical role, even if it
a 501(c)3 nonprofit
changes fundamentally in coming years