Consultations models encourage eliciting patients ideas, concerns and expectations (ICE) to address unstated needs. These models were developed when medical information in a consultation setting was limited and controlled by doctors. The internet has changed the information imbalance. Patients now have access to vast amounts of medical information independent of their doctors. The current, non-evidence based, zeitgeist favours well-informed patients and believes that this has a net positive benefit. Evidence from healthcare outcomes with highly informed patients such as physician patients suggests the opposite. We argue that this arises due to a phenomenon, noted in the industry, called Data Rich Information Poor (DRIP). DRIP points to an underlying relationship between information and benefit as being inversely U shaped. This DRIP state is negatively impacting the benefit of medical consultations. An ICE consultation model worsens the situation by leading to further information and needs to be either suspended or throttled.
Key words: Consultation model, Ideas Concerns Expectations (ICE), Data Rich Information Poor (DRIP)
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