The Digital Catalyst: ICT and the Media's Influence on Healthcare

 

The internet, and particularly the World Wide Web, has significantly disrupted the traditional power dynamic in the patient-physician relationship by democratizing access to knowledge. Historically, the physician's authority rested on the knowledge gap between themselves and their patients. The medical profession has long been characterized by its reliance on highly specialized and abstract training (Adam & Herzlich, 2014).

A physician's legitimacy stemmed from the acquisition of knowledge through extensive training and interaction with peers. Before the advent of search engines and instant access to information, patients – as laypersons – had to summon significant courage and patience to research the latest scientific advancements related to their condition. However, the patient's relationship with medical information has been fundamentally altered. The internet, by providing knowledge accessible to all, has contributed to its demystification (Boudier, Bensebaa, & Jablanczy, 2012).

Today, it is not uncommon for patients to perceive themselves as better informed about their specific condition than their general practitioner. This societal democratization, in the Tocquevillian sense, has led to a general increase in health literacy: citizens are more educated about their health, hygiene, and bodily functions. The web, by offering a wealth of scientific information, can empower patients to feel closer to scientific knowledge and their physicians, believing they are better equipped to engage with medical expertise. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that with the widespread availability of medical information, the physician's knowledge, in some ways, risks being devalued.

Medical information is also extensively disseminated through the media, including television, radio, and the press. We can observe, for instance, a significant shift in how medical information is presented before and after the "contaminated blood" scandal. Early medical programs, such as "Médicales" by Igor Barrère and Etienne Lalou, reflected a more institutional approach to information. In this television show, the journalist-presenter primarily echoed what the surgical field – considered a prestigious and "noble" branch of medicine – chose to communicate to the public. Viewers received a top-down transmission of simplified teachings from an eminent "mandarin" who possessed complete mastery of their subject (Marchetti, 2007).

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Footnotes:

1. Adam, P., & Herzlich, C. (2014). Sociologie de la maladie et de la médecine. Armand Colin.
2. Boudier, Y., Bensebaa, F., & Jablanczy, A. (2012). Le patient expert: une nouvelle relation entre malades et soignants. John Libbey Eurotext.
3. Marchetti, D. (2007). L'épreuve de la maladie: sociologie de l'expérience. Armand Colin.