The Rise of Social Media in Healthcare
According to a 2019 study undertaken by the Pew Research Center, seven-in-ten Americans use social media to connect with one another, whether is Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube or Tumblr. Research released by Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange (OTX) indicates that Americans aged 18-64 use social networks for an average of 3.2 hours per day. Parallelly, a growing number of physicians and medical care providers use social media as a professional platform to communicate health-related matters and distribute health information. As discussed below, the use of social media in the health sector can lead to both advantages as well as disadvantages based on the ways in which such media is used by health care practitioners.
According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2014, 72% adult internet users in the USA looked up health-related information online, which includes social media. Further research by the Pew Center and a national survey undertaken by Bosslet et al have demonstrated how the use of social media has grown exponentially over the last few years, with participation in social media increasing from 8% of internet users in 2005, to 74% in 2014. The article “Systematic Review of the Uses, Benefits, and Limitations of Social Media for Health Communication” recognizes seven key uses of social media for health-related communication: 1) provides health information on a range of conditions, 2) provides answers to medical questions, 3) facilitates dialogue patient-to-patient and patient-to-health professional, 4) collect data on patient experiences and opinions, 5) health intervention, health promotion and health education, 6) reduces illness stigma and 7) provides online consultations.
One of the key advantages of social media communication is its ability to facilitate two-way, direct communication online between those who provide the information and the consumers of such information. As the article “Social Media Use in the United States” points out, these features make social media an ideal platform for mass health communication, while it also creates a space to address specific queries by individuals. Chretien and Kind have pointed out how patients use blogs, discussion forums, chat rooms, patient portals, instant messaging and online consultations on social media for a variety of needs such as finding health information, participating in relevant discussion groups and seeking support when struggling with health issues. Other studies (Miller, Pole) have focused on the physician’s role on social media, demonstrating how 43% of bloggers were physicians. These physician-bloggers share health information, network with colleagues, disseminate research, market their practice and engage in health advocacy through social media.
Despite these benefits, a number of scholars and practitioners have highlighted potential drawbacks of using social media in healthcare, particularly in the surgical room. Peter Papadakos, an anesthesiologist affiliated with the University of Rochester, NY observes that “[e]verybody’s addicted to their gizmos”, and that within the surgical wing, the unit secretary “is texting on her smartphone”, the nurse, “is surfing the Web”," and that the resident “is gaming on his tablet”. Papadakos states that “this digital nightmare is increasingly common on hospital wards throughout the country and the world”. According to Ford, nursing education specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, in one study where residents and CRNAs were told that their internet usage is being monitored, 54% of the residents and the CRNAs still surfed the Internet despite being fully conscious that they were being observed (quoted in Burger).
Misra discusses how the Hippocratic Oath necessitates physicians to be “mentally present during all clinical encounters or you may miss a critical, life-impacting piece of information”. While she points how new mobile technology can advance medical care, she also acknowledges its potential to distract physicians when they are undertaking or overseeing procedures requiring direct interaction with and treatment of patients. A survey by Smith, Darling and Searles on mobile phone usage among the perfusion community during cardiopulmonary bypass surgeries reveals that “the majority of perfusionists believe cell phones raise significant safety issues while operating the heart-lung machine” (375). According to the survey results, 55.6% of perfusionists reported to having used a cell phone during the performance of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). 49.2% acknowledged sending text messages during the procedure. 21% of the respondents accessed email, 15.1% used the internet, and 3.1% checked or posted on social media while performing CPB. 78.3% acknowledged that cell phone usage can introduce significant safety risks to patients, while 33.7% of the respondents claimed to have witnessed another perfusionist engaged with the mobile phone while performing CPB.
As Ford points out, developing a series of guidelines that can regulate the use of social media and new technology in the operating room, and in healthcare in general, can be advantageous to both practitioners and patients alike. Although guidelines for using social media exist, which have been published by certain national medical organizations, they often lack specific behavioral guidance or definitions of professionalism (Campbell et al.). Given the exponential rise of social media in healthcare, establishing a professional and actionable set of guidelines appears to be an imminent need in order for social media to become a versatile and beneficial tool for all parties involved in healthcare practices.
Works Cited
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Burger, Jim. Fighting the 'Gizmo Addiction': Personal electronic devices are distracting from patient care. n.d. 16 December 2019. <http://www.outpatientsurgery.net/surgical-facility-administration/patient-safety/fighting-the-gizmo-addiction--ORX-proceedings-13>.
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