Social Media in Healthcare
By Krish Ajmani
Like the rays of the rising sun as it creeps up the sky, social media has also crept up in usage and popularity, enveloping us completely. The advent of the iPhone only a few years ago has led to a recent explosion in apps, widgets and online platforms. The purposes of these tools vary. Some are focused solely on entertainment while others are meant to bring ease in completing what used to be arduous tasks. The role of social media in healthcare, however, has been less pronounced but still continues to grow rapidly. As the next generation of medical students and physicians becomes more prominent in the healthcare system, social media and medicine will only become increasingly intertwined.
This recent increase in popularity of social media in healthcare has largely been driven by patient behaviors. The graphic above illustrates the many motivations for patient engagement with technology. These percentages are quite high and are significant in painting a picture of not only how patients use social media but also how physicians can address these behaviors to better provide for vulnerable populations. For instance, the draw of videos/images has led to physicians flocking to platforms like TikTok to produce informative content. In the advent of this era of information-based social media, the biggest difficulty and area of concern will be verification of information. Recent debacles surrounding the rampant spread of misinformation in the midst of the pandemic depict how serious this issue can be. The intersection of technology, healthcare and politics will be crucial in addressing concerns to ensure that solutions can be generated to curtail false information.
After collecting data on patient behaviors and habits, technology companies begin by providing important tools and benefits in response to these habits. Social networking sites restricting their membership to verified physicians have started to grow. According to a study conducted in 2014, researchers reported that Sermo, a social networking platform confined for physicians, had over 260,000 physicians using their site. Since then, membership will only have increased not only for Sermo but for similar sites as well. The same study continues with its description of Sermo, writing that the platform allows users to “network, discuss treatment options, and to query peers for expert advice.” While emails can get lost in inboxes and conferences can take time to set up, social media will allow physicians to get faster responses while being certain that the information is reliable through verification of users. Another social media website, Doximity, is even more impressive in its user base. The comprehensive study quoted above reports that approximately 12% of doctors in the United States are active members while “nearly 100% can be messaged through the network.” Doximity’s uniqueness also lies in its ability to be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ensuring patient safety and privacy.
Not every platform, however, will be as efficient and secure as Doximity. While HIPAA will always be the first concern to jump to mind, there are a plethora of other issues that can arise as physicians use social media. Ethical dilemmas and subsequent issues must be considered. Patient privacy apart from HIPAA is of paramount importance. Physicians peering into the lives of their patients may damage “the trust needed for a strong patient-physician relationship.” How a physician portrays themselves online may, in some cases, damage their public image, causing patients to turn away from that individual and practice.
Other complications have potentially legal implications. Healthcare providers must be conscious and particularly careful with how they use social media. Under the legislation in place, state medical boards can enforce laws to suspend or nullify licenses because of unprofessional behavior, including “the inappropriate use of social media” [and] “breaches of patient privacy.” Lawmakers have to be willing to be flexible in creating and adjusting laws to address not only current issues but those that may be yet unforeseen but will inevitably crop up as the healthcare landscape changes with fluidity.
The invention of social media and related apps have revolutionized our society. As we adapt to how this development affects our daily lives, there are bound to be both benefits and areas of concern. With time, however, difficulties will be addressed and minimized as healthcare professionals use new platforms to improve the lives of countless patients.
Sources:
[1] Coleman, Carl. “License Revocation as a Response to Physician Misinformation: Proceed with Caution: Health Affairs Forefront.” Health Affairs, 5 Jan. 2022, https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20211227.966736.
[2] Fogelson NS, Rubin ZA, Ault KA. Beyond likes and tweets: an in-depth look at the physician social media landscape. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Sep;56(3):495–508. doi: 10.1097/GRF.0b013e31829e7638. PMID: 23835911.
[3] Ventola CL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014;39(7):491–499.
Krish Ajmani is a third year Psychobiology major at UCLA and is a THINQ 2021–2022 clinical fellow.
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