Do-it-yourself medical care gained popularity during the pandemic when hospitals were overcrowded — and the trend continues years later.
DIY medicine refers to patients who take monitoring and treatment into their own hands. This can include self-monitoring through a host of home testing kits, gadgets and health monitoring apps. In extreme cases, some patients buy lab equipment and attempt to synthesize medications in their garage, NPR reported.
DIY medicine gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were overwhelmed with critical patients. Although the immediate burden on hospitals has faded, access and long wiat times persist. The average wait time for the third next available appointment across 11 medical specialties is 38 days, up significantly from the traditional 14-day benchmark, according to an ECG Management Consultants report of 23 U.S. metro areas.
DIY medicine has become more popular as information and equipment have become more accessible; however, it comes with risks. At-home lab testing kits may give instant results, but may not be as accurate as medical, in-lab tests. DIY tests can be difficult to administer and expensive since not all are covered by insurance. And not all health trackers and tests are legitimate or regulated, leading to dubious results.
Physicians' stances vary on how to approach DIY medicine. Some providers said they support patients taking responsibility for their own health with self-monitoring and that the approach could support clinicians. But others emphasize that self-monitoring can miss larger issues and provide medical professionals with incomplete or inaccurate information depending on the technology used.
Anna Wexler, PhD, who studied DIY approaches to medicine and is an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, told NPR that it's a balance for physicians.
"In my work, I've advocated for more open engagement, an education approach, where the physician, instead of saying, 'Stop, don't do this. This is really stupid,' instead say, 'look, you know, here's what we know, here's what we don't know. Here are some of the risks. Here's what you may be risking in terms of safety,'" she said.