Googling for a diagnosis--use of Google as a diagnostic aid:
internet based study. To determine how often searching with
Google (the most popular search engine on the world wide web)
leads doctors to the correct diagnosis. Internet based study
using Google to search for diagnoses; researchers were blind to
the correct diagnoses. One year's (2005) diagnostic cases
published in the case records of the New England Journal of
Medicine. 26 cases from the New England Journal of Medicine;
management cases were excluded. Percentage of correct diagnoses
from Google searches (compared with the diagnoses as published
in the New England Journal of Medicine). Google searches
revealed the correct diagnosis in 15 (58%, 95% confidence
interval 38% to 77%) cases. As internet access becomes more
readily available in outpatient clinics and hospital wards, the
web is rapidly becoming an important clinical tool for doctors.
The use of web based searching may help doctors to diagnose
difficult cases.