Still, healthcare providers remain hesitant to engage patients through social media, the study team writes.
A 140-character tweet can result in misinterpretation of medical advice. Without a disclaimer, doctors risk being liable, Langenfeld noted. What’s more, the line between personal and professional engagement is, at best, blurred.
“Never assume there is privacy on the internet,” Langenfeld said in a telephone interview. “Statistics are vague, but in recent years over 50% of medical boards have inflicted serious punishment as a result of irresponsible online behavior.” This includes irresponsible behavior unrelated to one’s medical specialty.
It makes sense that the number of teaching hospitals offering social media responsibility courses is on the rise, Dhar said.
“Our study shows that in appropriate settings, physicians can utilize social media platforms including Facebook to create content that patients find positively impacts their healthcare.”
Reference
- Dhar VK, Kim Y, Graff JT, et al. Benefit of social media on patient engagement and satisfaction: Results of a 9-month, qualitative pilot study using Facebook. Surgery. 2017 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]
