Abstract
IntroductionEmergency department (ED) patients’ Internet search terms prior to arrival have not been well characterized. The objective of this analysis was to characterize the Internet search terms patients used prior to ED arrival and their relationship to final diagnoses.MethodsWe collected data via survey; participants listed Internet search terms used. Terms were classified into categories: symptom, specific diagnosis, treatment options, anatomy questions, processes of care/physicians, or “other.” We categorized each discharge diagnosis as either symptom-based or formal diagnosis. The relationship between the search term and final diagnosis was assigned to one of four categories of search/diagnosis combinations (symptom search/symptom diagnosis, symptom search/formal diagnosis, diagnosis search/symptom diagnosis, diagnosis search/formal diagnosis), representing different “trajectories.”ResultsWe approached 889 patients; 723 (81.3%) participated. Of these, 177 (24.5%) used the Internet prior to ED presentation; however, seven had incomplete data (N=170). Mean age was 47 years (standard deviation 18.2); 58.6% were female and 65.7% white. We found that 61.7% searched symptoms and 40.6% searched a specific diagnosis. Most patients received discharge diagnoses of equal specificity as their search terms (34% flat trajectory-symptoms and 34% flat trajectory-diagnosis). Ten percent searched for a diagnosis by name but received a symptom-based discharge diagnosis with less specificity. In contrast, 22% searched for a symptom and received a detailed diagnosis. Among those who searched for a diagnosis by name (n=69) only 29% received the diagnosis that they had searched.ConclusionThe majority of patients used symptoms as the basis of their pre-ED presentation Internet search. When patients did search for specific diagnoses, only a minority searched for the diagnosis they eventually received.
Highlights
Emergency department (ED) patients’ Internet search terms prior to arrival have not been well characterized
We found that 61.7% searched symptoms and 40.6% searched a specific diagnosis
When patients did search for specific diagnoses, only a minority searched for the diagnosis they eventually received. [West J Emerg Med. 2017;18(5)928-936.]
Summary
Emergency department (ED) patients’ Internet search terms prior to arrival have not been well characterized The objective of this analysis was to characterize the Internet search terms patients used prior to ED arrival and their relationship to final diagnoses. Within the context of emergency medicine, previous studies asked patients if the health information they found online made them more likely seek care in the emergency department (ED). Many companies and health systems have produced online “symptom-checking” websites to harness these searches and attempt to improve self-triage, with variable success.[5] On a population level, healthcare website traffic measurements have been used to forecast ED visit volume.[6] epidemiologic trends for certain conditions such as influenza correlated well with Internet searches for related symptoms.[7] These prior studies suggest that patient Internet use affects patient concerns, and impacts their choice to seek medical care
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