Healthcare Professionals’ Guide to Establishing a Professional, Social Media Presence

Majority of healthcare professionals have personal social media account(s) nowadays.  None of them, use their personal accounts to engage patients online. These I learned after asking workshop participants’ if they use social media to engage patients online.

Here are the important points I learned from the participants and workshop I gave on Establishing Social Media Presence at the 1st SKMS Post Graduate Course in St. Louis Hospital last February 17, 2018 :

1. There’s an increasing number of patients going to the internet and social media to seek health information, join support groups and share their healthcare experiences. 
2. Majority of healthcare professionals are on social media to update on medical healthcare news, share information or join colleagues in support groups.
3. Healthcare professionals don’t use their personal social media accounts to engage patients online.
4. There is confusion as to the benefits of using social media in healthcare.
5. There is some degree of confusion on how should healthcare professionals (or healthcare institutions) respond when they are tagged in a social media posts.

I cited several, global and ASEAN studies to support points number 1 and 2. None of the workshop participants (around 300+ of them) raised their hands when I asked if any of them is using social media to engage patients online.  I have no current local study to validate or refute this, so I’ll take point number 3 until proven otherwise.   I discussed the benefits of using a professional social media account to protect one’s reputation online and leave a positive digital footprint to impact healthcare.

For those interested,  I will be posting my slides at my Slideshare/ LinkedIn account soon. Please visit my profile there.

References:

1. Patdu, Ivy. Recommendations for Social Media Use in Hospitals and Health Care Facilities. Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, North America, 31, jun. 2016
2. Marie Ennis-O’Connor (2017). Social Media: A New Dimension In Health Research [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/ennoconn/social-media-a-new-dimension-in-health-research
3. Pei-Li Teh & Marc Yates. 2013. Digital Health in Asia. Issue no. 4. Research Partnership. Available at https://www.researchpartnership.com/media/1182/free-thinking-digital-research-in-asia.pd
4. Warden, Christopher. 2017 Referral MD. www.getreferralmd.com. Accessed at https://getreferralmd.com/2017/01/30-facts-statistics-on-social-media-and-healthcare/
5. The Healthcare Social Media Shakeup. CDW Healthcare. Accessed http://www.cdwcommunit.com/resources/infographic/social-media/Massachusetts Medical Society Social Media Guide. 2015
   http://www.massmed.org/Governance-and-Leadership/Committees,-Task-Forces-and-Sections/MMS-Physicians–Guide-to-Social-Media-(pdf)/
6. Gholami-Kordkheili F, Wild V, Strech D: The Impact of Social Media on Medical Professionalism: A Systematic Qualitative Review of Challenges and Opportunities J Med Internet Res 2013;15(8):e184
7. Chua, ER , Calderon, PE . Ethico-Moral Responsibilities of Health Care Practitioners on Social Media. Proceedings of the DLSU Research Congress Vol 4 2016. March 7-9, 2016
8. Isip-Tan, Iris Thiele (2014). Establishing a Professional Social Media Presence [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/isiptan/establishing-a-professional-social-media-presence-86320762