Social media do's and don'ts for doctors

Despite all of the benefits and pitfalls surrounding the use of social media by physicians, formal rules for medical professionals to follow online are still in the making. But even as The American Medical Association Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, The American College of Physicians' Center for Ethics and Professionalism and other organizations continue to work on new policies, social media pioneers have identified some general do's and don'ts for practicing physicians:

DO

• Plan what you want to achieve with a professional online presence (e.g., Facebook fan page or Twitter account for business). "Start with clear objectives," and write a policy that delineates privacy and other requirements, Brett Pollard, an independent social media consultant in St. Louis, tells Dermatology Times.
• Consider adding pictures or video to your professional accounts to help generate traffic.
• Be yourself. With all social media, Monique E. Ramsey, principal, Cosmetic Social Media, La Jolla, Calif, tells doctors, "to talk about the questions patients ask them every day, or, what are the top things you want them to know?" Postings can cover everything from media interviews to office party pictures--anything that provides "a sneak peek at who you are."
• Think twice before accepting a Facebook friend request from a patient. While some physicians make 'no friending' exceptions for patients who seem to benefit from the extended contact (such as at-risk teens), it's important to consider the potential impact of every single post, notes American Medical News. For example, do you want patients knowing where you go to church or whether you kick back with a glass of wine on the weekend?

DON'T

• In general, don't "friend" your patients online, but rather steer them to "like" you on a professional page without identifying themselves as patients. If patients send friend requests to your private account, Pollard suggests sending a standard response stating that doctor-patient communications require a secure environment.
• Regardless of who your connections are, don't post unprofessional content such as photos showing inebriation or illegal drug use, or posts featuring vulgar language, as a recent study showed students had done in more than 60 percent of U.S. medical schools.
• Don't respond to personal medical questions on Facebook or Twitter. Refer questions to the patient's physician. If the question comes from your patient, handle it through an office visit, phone consultation or encrypted e-mail exchange.
• Don't, under any circumstances, post any identifying information about patients online. Doing so is unethical, illegal and could cost you your job.

To learn more:
- read this article in American Medical News
- see this piece in Dermatology Times

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