Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

Mark Seigel, MD, FACOG

Professionalism in Social Media I have no industry relationships to disclose.

Professionalism in Social MediaLearning Objectives

Review AMA Social Media Policy Review Federation of State Medical Boards Policy Review ACOG Dos and Don’ts

Professionalism in Social MediaPractice Points

Professionals lack awareness of their vulnerability on Facebook.

A significant number were not using privacy precautions.

Guidelines are needed for online professionalism. Medical professionals at all levels need to be

involved in producing guidelines.

AMA Policy: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

AMA Policy: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

AMA Policy: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

Some question whether patient information can be posted on-line with their consent.

Are you in a physician-patient relationship if it’s not your patient?

When should you report on-line behavior to the authorities?

Unprofessional participation in social media can undermine trust in the medical profession.

AMA Policy: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

Social media can improve trust in the medical profession, enhance its reputation among the people it serves, and can have consequences for medical careers that are transformational and supportive of lifelong learning.

Federation of State Medical BoardsPolicy: Model Policy Guidelines

ACOG DOs and DON’Ts

Don’t discuss patients online, even in general terms.

Don’t give medical advice. Don’t post photos of patients or babies. Don’t post anything you don’t want the entire

world to read. Don’t “friend” your patients on Facebook. If you

have a personal profile, consider a separate professional page.

Don’t spend too much time promoting yourself.

ACOG DOs and DON’Ts

Always maintain your professionalism. Be careful with humor or politics. Speak in terms patients and consumers will

understand. Ask your employer and/or hospital if it has social media

guidelines you must follow. Consider creating your own social medial policy. As your professional liability carrier if it has social

media guidelines.

Protect yourself from liability

A physician in Rhode Island lost her hospital privileges and was reprimanded by the state medical board for discussing a trauma case on Facebook.

Information about patients can be re-identified if the date, hospital or doctor’s name is known.

State medical boards are receiving reports of online professional violations and responding with disciplinary proceedings.

Make sure you understand privacy settings, which vary by platform.

Whatever you post online can never be truly deleted.

References http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/meeting/professionalism-social-media.shtml www.osma.org/files/documents/tools-and-resources/running-a-practice/social-

media-policy.pdf www.kevidmd.com/blog/2010/11/social-media-ama-physician-professionalism-

policy.html Content.healthaffairs.org/content/28/2/361.full Fsmb.org/pdf/pub-social-media-guidelines.pdf http://informahealthcare.com/doi/full/10.3109/0142159X.2012.668624

Online Professionalism and Facebook-Falling through the generation gap http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22436951 Physician Professionalism

Violations http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1556363 Investigations by Medical

Boards