Is the Medical Profession Getting More Social?
When the first draft of the Hippocratic Oath was created in the 12th century, social media was considered words chiseled in stone and left for others to read.
Centuries later, the medical field is using social media more and more everyday as a way to reach out to others in the profession and keep patients in the know. But, with unlimited access also comes increased confidentiality concern.
So, what are the pros and cons of medical professionals turning to social media?
The Pros
Social Media has many benefits in terms of the average user, so it’s no surprise medical professionals are finding unique ways to make social media work in their favor.
Whether it’s Facebook or Twitter, medicine and media go hand-in-hand on the web.
Saving Time – The only thing better than a doctor answering a patient’s question is that question being answered before the patient can even ask it.
With social media, doctors can post answers to common questions and even dedicate blog posts to frequently asked questions that are accessible 24-hours a day. This saves time for both the patient and the practice.
Doctors Connecting With Doctors – Social media extends a doctor’s network from across town to across the country.
If a doctor has a puzzling diagnosis or simply wants another doctor’s professional opinion, that information is a Tweet or Facebook message away. This kind of knowledge at a doctor’s fingertips makes them more able to meet a patient’s needs.
Sharing Headlines – Doctors in all fields of medicine make new discoveries every day and with social media, medical professionals can broadcast these discoveries in the form of articles, updates, and information streams.
The Doctor Filter – Something that plagues online medical information are patients that self-diagnose their issues using the Internet. To better direct patients to authoritative information, doctors can recommend certain reputable healthcare sites by linking to them with social media.
Health Updates and Reminders – One of the major advantages to the medical profession using social media is the ability for practices to easily connect with their patients and send them both check up reminders and updates.
So, when it comes time for a scheduled screening or checkup, practices can send patients schedule reminders and pre-checkup procedures via social media as well placing a phone call.
The Cons
If the use of social media in the medical field sounds too good to be true, that’s because it might actually be in some cases. As with any pros, there are always cons and the social media cons associated with medicine are serious.
Confidentiality Concerns – Doctor-patient confidentiality in terms of social media is a tricky subject. A doctor would never broadcast a patient’s case to the Internet blatantly, but even with an account set to private, information on a social media site isn’t as secure as many users think.
Account Management – Managing and monitoring a social media account is a full-time job that most people in the medical profession simply don’t have time for. Not responding to patient questions and posts can reflect negatively and one public post could potentially lead to hundreds of responses.
Doctor-Patient Relationships – With the ease of connectivity that social media provides, a patient’s relationship with their doctor might become construed. It’s very possible for a patient to see social media as way to contact their doctor on a 24-hour basis as a friend would a friend, so the proper lines should be drawn.
As long as it’s used on a strictly professional level, social media and the world of medicine are mutually beneficial.
About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including personal health, nursing recruiting, and family.
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Posted in Social Networking. Tags: business social networking, medical practice and social media
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