When Taylor Warmoth, MD, a rheumatologist with Arthritis and Osteoporosis Associates (AOA), Lubbock, Texas, posted her first educational video on TikTok in 2022, she anticipated a moderate response. She was surprised when her medical assistant informed her the next day that her video had received over 5,000 views, 800 comments, and her account had gained an additional 3,000 new followers. One year later, Dr. Warmoth has 59,400 TikTok followers.
“I initially launched a TikTok account to answer common questions from my rheumatology patients and to combat online medical misinformation,” says Dr. Warmoth. “If someone is looking for information on lupus or another rheumatic condition on TikTok, I’d rather they receive accurate information from a rheumatologist than [from] someone without a medical degree.”
The prevalence of health misinformation is huge, and Dr. Warmoth is one of a new generation of rheumatologists and other physicians who have taken to social media platforms, including TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, to debunk myths and provide accurate, reliable health information. All of the rheumatologists interviewed for this article stress their videos rely on educational information from reputable sources, including the ACR, and they don’t offer medical advice on their social media accounts.
A recent study conducted by CharityRx found that one in five Americans turn to TikTok—before their own doctor—when seeking treatment for a health condition. In addition, the study found that 65% turned to Google before consulting their doctor, 33% turned to YouTube before consulting their doctor, and 37% turned to social media influencers for health advice, believing they are easier to access than medical professionals.
Dr. Warmoth
Dr. Warmoth’s videos posted on her account, @thechatrheum, feature a warm, friendly approach that aligns with her personal philosophy of talking to each patient as if they were a family member. Her videos cover such topics as psoriatic arthritis, lupus and fibromyalgia, and answer such questions as, “Does a worsening rash mean your psoriatic arthritis will get worse, too?”
Dr. Warmoth says the response to her videos has been positive and she’s even gotten some new patients as the result of her TikTok account.
“I try to post videos three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays,” she says. “I have a list of topics to address, and I’ll go into my office, prop my cellphone on the desk and record a video, discussing the topic in an informal, educational way, just like I would do if I were talking to one of my patients.”
She also offers tips on simple ways to address hand pain, treatment options for psoriatic arthritis, the importance of logging your symptoms and advocating for yourself, as well as simplified videos discussing rheumatic conditions, how the conditions are treated, what medications are used and more.
“One patient asked if I could explain her condition to her boyfriend, and I suggested that he watch one of my videos,” Dr. Warmoth says. “She told me it really helped him better understand some of the challenges she faces on a daily basis.”
Patient Education & Engagement
Micah Yu, MD, an integrative rheumatologist with the Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach, Calif., started using Instagram in 2018 to provide education on rheumatic diseases. His videos discuss how both integrative and traditional medicine can help the symptoms associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus. In 2020, he joined TikTok and now has 80,000 followers on his @myautoimmunemd account. He also maintains accounts on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Dr. Yu
“People with no medical background are posting information on social media that isn’t backed by science and many patients believe that information is factual,” Dr. Yu says. “I think it’s critical for rheumatologists and other physicians to have a social media presence in order to offer some balance.”
In his videos, Dr. Yu is candid about his own diagnoses of gout and spondyloarthritis and discusses how adopting a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet improved both his lab work and pain levels. Although he will answer general questions from his followers, he won’t offer medical advice. By utilizing different social media platforms, Dr. Yu says he can reach a broader audience.
“I strive to give patients information they might not be receiving anywhere else,” Dr. Yu says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Beyond patient education, Dr. Yu says having a social media presence also allows rheumatologists to inform the public about the rheumatology field, the conditions they treat and when a referral to a rheumatologist is warranted.
“Since I offer telemedicine visits through my practice, sometimes my social media followers turn into patients,” he says. “They’ve gotten to know my personality and how I work through my videos.”
While social media can sometimes get a bad rap, Dr. Yu believes these platforms play an important role in the future of medicine and patient care.
“Technology is constantly changing, and as rheumatologists we need to adapt,” he says. “If we don’t have a social media presence and aren’t engaging with patients online, our patients are exposed to a lot of misinformation.”
Partners in Healthcare
In her Dallas rheumatology practice, Kathryn Dao, MD, FACP, FACR, noticed that many of the same questions arose when she was talking with her patients. “I often get asked questions, such as what it means to get an RA diagnosis or to have abnormal labs,” Dr. Dao says. “It occurred to me that a lot of rheumatology patients probably have the same questions, and I thought it would be great to have a platform to disseminate reputable information.”
Dr. Dao
Dr. Dao saw how engaged her teenage children were using TikTok, and she had read the statistics about Americans obtaining medical information from the video hosting service. She asked her children to show her how to use the platform and then launched her account, @Rheum101, where she now has over 15,400 followers. Dr. Dao also has a YouTube account.
By recording videos that explain medical terms and rheumatic conditions in lay terms, Dr. Dao hopes to empower patients to be active partners in their rheumatology care and to formulate questions to ask during their appointments.
“As doctors, we often have a limited amount of time to spend with patients during their appointments,” Dr. Dao says. “It’s not uncommon for patients to think of questions they should have asked after they’ve already left their appointment.”
Dr. Dao says it typically takes a half-hour of prep time before she films a TikTok video, followed by two or three takes to ensure she conveys all the pertinent information on the topic. She then edits the videos.
“I look at the camera and imagine I’m talking to a friend or patient who’s seated right in front of me,” Dr. Dao says. “I’ve even played the videos for patients if they have specific questions about a topic I’ve covered, such as TNF [tumor necrosis factor] inhibitors or managing fatigue, because my videos offer them a more thorough answer.”
Dr. Dao believes rheumatologists who have a social media presence inform and empower patients.
“By covering such topics as the seven essential questions patients should ask before starting a new medication or potential side effects of hydroxychloroquine, I think I give patients a better understanding of their condition and what the medications are intended to treat,” Dr. Dao says.
Linda Childers is a health writer located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Reference
- The shifting role of influence and authority in the RX Drug & Health Supplement Market [Internet]. CharityRx; 2022. https://www.charityrx.com/blog/the-shifting-role-of-influence-and-authority-in-the-rx-drug-health-supplement-market.
