The Physician of the Future

[Commentary] Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults have searched health information online and two-thirds do so on a regular basis. Ideally, these patients would be getting information from reputable sources and partnering with physicians to learn more about treatment options and even the science behind their conditions. Unfortunately, both the patient and the physician of the present are currently obstacles to that type of cooperation, in their own ways. Patients often frustrate physicians by obsessing over misleading information found online or ignoring advice about improving their own health. And physicians, accustomed to reverence for their expertise, don't always extend a hand to patients interested in their own care.