The use of Facebook by physicians provides psychological safety and well-being in a novel way that far exceeds what may or may not exist or be offered by our employers as a human resources or Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education function.
Social media use within otolaryngology is increasing rapidly, mainly for professional networking but also for applications that directly impact patient care, such as patient education and study recruitment.
Social media is commonly used by physicians to share knowledge, provide medical education materials, and even seek peer advice. But is enough being done to protect patient privacy, especially for younger patients?
Most otolaryngology-related posts on Reddit are questions about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment, and responses are not monitored.
Panelists at the virtual Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings discussed the benefits and risks of social media for physicians and whether social media posts should be assessed when evaluating applicants for residency and other positions.
Rule #1: Use caution when tweeting details or photos related to a specific case, even if you don’t use a patient’s name.
Physician-centered networking websites offer collaboration, education, and industry news
Patient satisfaction accounts for 30% of CMS value-based purchasing model for hospital reimbursement
What role does social media play in otolaryngology?