Don’t Just Use Social Media – Use it Responsibly

The following article was written by Alireza Radmanesh, MD, Clinical Fellow at UCSF.

Last month, I wrote a blog post on the increasing trend of Twitter use among radiologists and the potential that social media has on communications in the medical profession. I recently expanded on this important topic for the American Journal of Neuroradiology in an article co-written by myself and two colleagues, entitled “Social Media and Public Outreach: A Physician Primer.”

In the article, my co-writers and I discuss not just social media use among medical professionals and organizations, but the responsible use of social media among these groups, which

Social media engagement with patients, their employers, policymakers, and lawmakers can play a big role in shaping the public perception of who we are and what we do – so it’s important that we use it strategically and in accordance with best practices.

One of the most important points we make in our article is that, despite the fact that social media use can generate anxiety (due to such factors as its newness, its broad reach, and perceptions of how it aligns with the legal and ethical communications standards of the medical profession), it is important for physicians and health care organizations to have a social presence. Social media, in some form or another, is here to stay – and, at the end of the day, it is both our online and in-person identities that are converging to define who we are in the eyes of our patients and communities.

You can read the full article, available in pdf format, by clicking here.