Social media: How to reap the benefits while avoiding the hazards

A tweet said the small-town hospital was deluged with suicidal patients that day, and the person who posted it appeared to show frustration with the endless hassle. The post could be seen as whiny, disrespectful and invasive of patient privacy—or supportive and compassionate, depending on how it was read. Thinking ahead This tweet illustrates the two edges of the social media sword—an opportunity to promote health care and a minefield that can scar a physician for years to come. How to navigate Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media to help your patients and foster your online image as a positive one was the subject of a student education session at the 2016 AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago. “Avoid saying anything you would not say out loud at work to your boss,” said Tyeese Gaines, DO, an emergency physician and assistant medical director at Raritan Bay Medical Center in New Jersey. At stake, she told trainees, is patient privacy, their reputation and their job—current and future. “There are a lot of things you can’t take back, so think about these things early,” Dr. Gaines said. “Are these the things you want potential employers and colleagues to see?” Posts live forever Insider commentary, criticism and rants have led to reprimands and dismissal, said Dr. Gaines, who spent 15 years in journalism and today advises physicians on media relations. She listed some pitfalls to avoid: Post no information that would cause an individua...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news