You know that look on your doctor’s face when you say something like“I think I have a thyroid problem because I looked up my symptoms on WebMD and I figure I’ll be on meds now for the rest of my life. What do you think?”
Admit it, we’ve all gone running to the computer, logged on to WebMD and started selecting from the menu of questions designed to help determine what is wrong with us. You’ve ignored a symptom for too long. No time to be sick. So what are you to do when you decide enough is enough…you just have to make an appointment. Of course you’ll have to wait for weeks to get in and then wait for the test results to come in. Why not just head on over to WebMD and get yourself a quick diagnosis…you know help the process along, point the doc in the right direction, start getting a handle on your future.
If your doctor is as polite as mine, she will just smile (it might be a little tight…not sure) and just keep listening to your theories as she continues to listen to your heart, check your vitals and ask specific questions about when you first noticed this or that. She will not even roll her eyes as you suggest possible new medications you saw in a magazine ad or which a friend suggested (you know a friend with exactly the same disease.)
Being a gracious person she will not remind you that she has an advanced degree in medicine and that she has seen lots of folks with your complaint but that her experience and training have taught her to look at you as an individual and not as a bag of symptoms. She will not remind you that you are really good at what you do for a living and so is she; that you might be best served by letting her do what she does best…diagnosing your illness and deciding the treatment methodology. No, she will simply get on with it; quietly run her tests, ask her questions and explain to you the best course of action for your particular situation.
She is an experienced professional and will not be swayed by the opinion of a computer program, no matter how sophisticated, and available to everyone on the web. That’s why you trust her with your body and well; your life.
Then it hits you that, like your doctor, your professionalism and experience are the ‘value add’, the intangible asset, the lens through which your clients view you, and the reason they call on you for real help in your area of expertise. WebMD, like WebLawyer, WebAccountant or all those WebREALTOR sites are simply places for us all to go in the evening or on the weekend when we decide we just have to move forward on that nagging, back burner issue. Isn’t that what all this technology is for? No one has to wait anymore to ask a burning question.
The common denominator on all of these sites is that once you’ve reached the “conclusion” of your search, there is always a disclaimer, a recommendation to ‘seek the advise of a professional’, a reminder that the information provided is general and informational in nature and not intended for you to base important decisions on.
The lesson learned is that just because I can read for hours online about how others have handled their particular situation and what they suggest I consider doing in mine, doesn’t mean that the best answer for them is the best answer for me. I have a doctor whom I chose because she is experienced, skilled and thankfully, tactful. I trust her to work in my best interest regardless of how much website “help” I offer her.
I sold my doctor’s home for her and helped her when she bought her new one. Funny, she never once mentioned that she could have done it on her own if only she had had more time to surf the web. No, she simply trusted my professionalism and experience. I think I’ll stop diagnosing myself on WebMD. After all, I have an experienced professional M.D. who knows more about me and my health than I can possibly learn on the web.
For experienced and skillful assistance when buying or selling a home in Chapel Hill / Carrboro and Durham I offer you my professional services. I promise to tactfully and graciously answer all of your questions and look out only for your best interest.
It's Simple...When You Have A Great Agent!
SarahGray Lamm is a licensed, full time, residential real estate professional in the Raleigh Durham area of North Carolina with over 60,000 hours of experience. She specializes in serving the real estate needs of home sellers, home buyers and investors in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham and Northern Chatham County and is proudly associated with Allen Tate Realtors, the Carolinas #1 independent realty company.
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SarahGray, You gave gave me an AHA! moment. Your blog suggests you have had one too. What a great blog analogy. Okay, I'll quit gushing now. And I'll watch my doctors face closely the next time I make a WEBMD suggestion :)
Such a good post! Hope everyone reads your thoughtful and timely reminder...you highlighted the internet's failing: it makes all data seem equal, and of course we need to bring our editing function to it all, before it becomes information. A professional is the best editor of all!
I think this is a pretty good analogy. However, I do think that there is some value in having consumers come into the process educated and that we can work together rather than be annoyed by their pseudoeducation. I have had doctors dismiss my "research" but also recently I have had a doctor follow up on something I learned on the web even though she didn't think it was likely. Guess what? I was right and know I am finally being treated. I have no problem with clients doing their research online and then we can collaborate to make the home buying/selling process work.
@Dedra, it's a great AHA moment! There is value in gathering info but peace of mind in trusting the evaluator!
@Li, very well put...a professional IS the best editor of all! Thanks!
@Stacey-Ann, I was surely not suggesting that consumers not participate in researching things that matter to them...not at all! In fact that is my favorite pasttime! I love educated consumers and I love being one...but I will draw the line at "diagnosing" myself and will respect the training and experience of those who have dedicated their careers to other areas of expertise! (In fact in my analogy the doctor did test for thyroid. She did not blow off the suggestion. It simply wasn't her first guess or the actual outcome and I'd venture to say this is more the rule than the exception.) Part of being a professional is not being high minded or close minded and it sounds like your doc is a pro too!
The Internet is a great place for research and it will teach you more than enough to be dangerous. But it just can't replace an experienced professional.
@JL - internet research + experienced professional = educated consumer who accomplishes his goals in a timely fashion!
SarahGray,
Your post is excellent! My family does this all the time to both my sister (in the medical field) and me (in the real estate) field...(child #6 and #7 in the family)...what would we know? We're still sucking our fingers!
So...we laugh and we tell them to "seek the advise of a professional" as you noted above.
Very true. Great writing!
@Jane, I feel your pain! I'm the middle child and wrote a post awhile ago about my younger sister advising me that it was a 'great time to buy a house!' I bowed out of her home search...she clearly needed a "professional'!
SarahGray: This .. and your prior post regarding the pricing of a home ... are masterpieces. Simply put, clearly understood ... and so very true! I may use them for my customers ... Thank you!
Gene
Thank you Gene! I'd be honored...I think I might be "finding my voice" with blogging!
Sarah,
There's so much "truisms" on the internet, I check everything out now.
I'm sitting here laughing. I've not once mentioned to my doc about looking stuff up on web md. BUT - I do think it would be kind of fun to do so next time and see what she says. She's really cool so I'm sure she'd be ' kind and patient". Maybe! I like your analogy - I find that other professions don't ever question my expertise etc. They honor it as I honor their expertise.
Perfect example, SarahGray. Same for the FSBOs which is like self-diagnosis.
SarahGray - very well written, I like your analysis!
Very good post, very good analogy, very good lesson learned. I start my research online just so I can converse intelligently with whatever professional I'm going to go see.
Wonderful analogy! Researching online is useful for coming up with the right questions to ask the professional you consult.