You Shouldn't Have to Choose Between Feeling Heard and Evidence-Based Care

Over the past several years, I've noticed a shift in how people seek health information.

Many patients are turning to social media, podcasts, online communities, and influencers for answers they once expected to receive from their physician.

Rather than dismissing that trend, I think it's worth asking why.

I don't believe people have suddenly stopped valuing science or evidence. I think many people have stopped feeling heard.

For years, healthcare has become increasingly rushed. Appointments have become shorter. Physicians are expected to see more patients in less time. Questions often go unanswered—not because providers don't care, but because the system doesn't leave enough room for conversation.

When patients leave an appointment feeling unheard or uncertain, they don't stop looking for answers.

They simply start looking somewhere else.

The internet has made health information more accessible than ever before, and in many ways, that's a good thing. I want my patients to be curious. I want them to ask questions, read, learn, and take an active role in their health. Some online educators and medical communicators provide thoughtful, evidence-based information that helps people better understand their bodies.

The challenge is that social media also rewards confidence. And confidence isn't the same as expertise.

An influencer may speak with certainty, but they don't know your medical history, your medications, your family history, or your personal goals. They can't weigh risks and benefits based on you.

Healthcare is personal. Good medical advice should be, too.

As physicians, I don't believe our role is to control patients or make decisions for them. Patients deserve autonomy. They deserve to ask difficult questions, seek second opinions, and be active participants in their healthcare.

But true autonomy doesn't mean navigating complex medical decisions alone.

My role is to help patients understand the evidence, explain the risks and benefits honestly, answer questions without judgment, and partner with them in making decisions that align with their values and goals.

To me, that's what good medicine has always been.

It's also one of the reasons I chose concierge medicine.

I wanted the time to build relationships—not just treat problems. I wanted appointments that allowed for thoughtful conversations instead of rushed checklists. I wanted patients to leave with answers instead of feeling like they had to search for them after they got home.

Trust isn't built because someone has "MD" after their name.

Trust is built when patients feel listened to.

It's built when questions are welcomed instead of rushed.

It's built when people feel respected, informed, and cared for.

If you leave a medical appointment feeling unheard, it's understandable to keep searching for answers.

But my hope is that you never feel like you have to choose between feeling heard and receiving evidence-based care.

You deserve both.

And I believe good medicine should offer both.

— Laurie Birkholz, MD