Social Media: The Next Generation of Healthcare Communication Ben Miller Mark Ryan

Physicians should be active participants in social media in order to liberate their expertise. Patients are more likely to trust physicians they know, they can identify, and who are local. Why this matters: Physicians

Twitter Characterized by very short messages (140 characters). Posts (tweets) are distributed among your “followers”. Tweets are public unless you choose to protect them, in which case you must accept followers requests. Social Media Tools

Some jargon: All Twitter usernames (handles) start with Retweet (RT): one user re-posts another’s post. This allows sharing of information and can help start conversations. Replies start with another’s user name this notifies the other user you are speaking to them. Direct message (DM): only viewed by recipient, not the public. Social Media Tools

Jargon (cont) Hashtag (#): topics of interest can be tagged with a #. For example, any post focused on health care reform can be tagged “#HCR”. This allows you to search for any recent posts that incorporate that tag. #s allow for Twitter-based conversations (#hcsm, #MDChat) via TweetChat.TweetChat #s are catalogued at the Healthcare Hashtag Project, and can be defined by common use (or asking)Healthcare Hashtag Project Social Media Tools

Who’s doing what: Twitter Source: ebennett.org/hsnl

Why: 13% of population uses; Just-in-time; Brand building; Recruiting; Community conversations What: Reach out to patients; Manage crises; Connect with peers; Extend marketing Social Media Tools: Twitter

Disclaimers: Tweets are public. Consider making a personal and professional account. There’s lots of jargon. It takes time to build and commitment to build a following. Only 13% of population uses. Decide whether your audience is here before joining as an organization. Social Media Tools: Twitter

Make it real Easy to remember Customize

Find folks

Manage Lists

Analytics Schedule tweets Manage multiple accounts Manage

Best practices for Twitter: Find resources worth following. Interact with people. Be a resource to the community. Develop lists to filter out the stream. Use tools (TweetDeck, HootSuite, etc.) to simplify use. Social Media tools

Envision how social media could change health care delivery: Public health advisories: emergency responses, disease outbreak management and response. Broadcast important public health information-- #RVASickCall Answer general medical questions and be a resource to the community for general topics. Advocacy--#OccupyHealthcare Potential

Envision how social media could change health care delivery: Send disease-specific reminders (Have you checked your blood sugar? Have you taken your medicine?); patients can choose to receive Tweets or Facebook updates as text messages if they follow a social media account. Use Facebook or Twitter DMs to ask patients to contact the office to schedule appointments, follow-up, etc. If/when secure portals enter wider use, can refer patients directly into care via E-visits or other portal-based services. Greatest potential: combining social media, portals and SMS. Potential

Help patients find necessary resources, including free clinic services, health fairs, and dental screenings. Can have a personal Twitter account and a professional/practice Twitter account, and use them for different purposes. Personal and professional benefits: Professional collaborations on talks, projects, blogs New information and information sources New acquaintances Potential

Why This Matters: Medical Student and Resident Education We must teach medical students about the potential risks of using social media. In 2009, JAMA reported that “60% of U.S. medical schools surveyed reported incidents of students posting unprofessional content online.”JAMA reported Some family medicine residency core competencies could be addressed via social media: medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice.

Medical Student and Resident Education: Faculty Roles Family medicine faculty can facilitate student and resident learning via social media: Identify valuable resources: blogs, Twitter accounts, Facebook, YouTube channels. Moderate Twitter chats (or journal clubs?). Use social media tools in productive and professional ways. Record videos or podcasts to supplement teaching.

Social Media and Core Competencies Some family medicine core competencies could be addressed via social media: medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice

Social Media and Core Competencies Patient care: NO. (Not yet. Ever?) Medical knowledge: Increased access to new sources of information; opportunities to discuss information with multiple contacts Practice-based learning and improvement: probably not yet

Social Media and Core Competencies Interpersonal and communication skills: as social media becomes more widely used, we need to teach learners these skills Professionalism: Accountability to society and the profession, and sensitivity to diverse populations Systems-based practice: Enhanced awareness of team-based care and the roles of other professionals and of patients

Cautions Privacy. Remember what is visible by the public. Cannot practice medicine in this setting. Not reimbursed. No standards of use or official“best practices”. The AMA guidelines are not much help, and do not encourage use. There is no definitive guide to best practices. Role is still developing, meaning that best practices, etc. are still unclear.