Should Physicians Use Social Media To Distribute Health Information? — 7 Things To Know

A study published in BioMed Central found that while many physicians utilize social media platforms to distribute information, few actually make it worth their (or their patients') while.



Here are seven things to know:

1. The qualitative study involved telephone interviews of physicians who had used social media to distribute health information.

2. The 17 physicians involved in the study were:

• 35 percent female
• 76 percent pediatricians
• 76 percent bloggers

3. Participants tended to set their own standards and rules for social media health communications.

4. Physician-participants expressed uncertainty about social media boundaries or strategy.

5. Participants reported using social media as a purely one-way communication platform as opposed to using it as an interactive forum.

6. Participants' opinions were split as to whether social media was an impediment to patient care.

7. Researchers concluded physicians' roles and responsibilities in providing medical content within social media forums remains unclear. They also agreed that most physicians were not using social media platforms to their fullest potential.

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