 [ Symptoms ] what should a health care provider do if a patient or parent insists on antibiotics even if it will not treat the illness [ Disease ] it falls on the health care provider to prescribe only when needed the health care provider does have to take many factors into consideration including the severity and duration of illness findings on physical exam and the most likely diagnosis if it is an upper respiratory infection it is not always obvious whether the illness is viral or bacterial but the vast majority of time it is viral if the patient still wants an antibiotic the most important approach is for a health care provider is to validate the patient is concerns the provider can then discuss why they do not need an antibiotic and tell them that just because they do not need an antibiotic does not mean they are not sick the provider can also suggest an over the counter product or other medicine to treat symptoms