*Google D for diagnosis

Following the news (reported in this Times Online article) that doctors have been advised to use Google to resolve difficult diagnostic cases, I will be writing my online journalism feature on this topic.

What do doctors in the UK think of this advice? Do they already use Google as a diagnostic tool? It is well-known that many patients use the internet for ‘self-diagnosis’; will this latest news and the increasing power of the internet have an effect on the doctor’s role? Do doctors use other databases or online ‘communities of interest’ to share information? What would patients think if they knew their doctor was using Google to diagnose them?

I will talk to doctors, in both GP surgeries and hospitals, patients and, hopefully, the GMC (General Medical Council) and BMA (British Medical Association) in order to address these topics.