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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. – Social media provides a way for you to engage with your patients and the community, whether you practice in an HMO or privately, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, a dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego.
No matter what your specialty, the principles of using social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as tools for improving patient care will apply. “Online patient communities are an ascendant means for patients to learn about their disease, and seek advice and comfort from [other] patients like them,” Dr. Benabio said in an interview. “Physicians can be part of this conversation and contribute to it. Who better to [advise] patients [on] how to live with pain, live with deformity, deal with insurance companies, than physicians?”
It takes no money but lots of time to build online networks. So why bother? “Patients are going online to interact with their physicians, and we are not there. Whereas patients always had to come to us to learn about disease and health, now they get most of their information online. Our absence online perpetuates a trend of diminishing importance of our profession,” he said.
As with much in life, the secret to being effective online comes down to showing up. “A physician becomes a trusted member of the community by being present. Over time, regular blog posts, Facebook updates, and Tweets allow the audience to become familiar with you.
If you decide to post, focus on information that is helpful and informative to your audience. You can discuss medications and non–Food and Drug Administration uses of medications – as long as you do not give actual medical advice, and are clear about any disclosures and disclaimers, Dr. Benabio said.
Google yourself and see what you find.“It is as important to be a trusted member of the online community as it is to be a trusted member of your actual community,” Dr. Benabio said.
Despite the opportunities offered by establishing an online presence, keep in mind that you are on a slippery slope, he said. “This is a critical time when we are trying to demonstrate our value as practitioners. The more comfortable people are with nonphysicians, the more difficult it will be for us to fight nonphysicians' expansion of their scope of practice.”
The seminar was sponsored by
SDEF and this news organization are owned by Elsevier. Dr. Benabio disclosed that he is a consultant for Livestrong.com
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. – Social media provides a way for you to engage with your patients and the community, whether you practice in an HMO or privately, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, a dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego.
No matter what your specialty, the principles of using social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as tools for improving patient care will apply. “Online patient communities are an ascendant means for patients to learn about their disease, and seek advice and comfort from [other] patients like them,” Dr. Benabio said in an interview. “Physicians can be part of this conversation and contribute to it. Who better to [advise] patients [on] how to live with pain, live with deformity, deal with insurance companies, than physicians?”
It takes no money but lots of time to build online networks. So why bother? “Patients are going online to interact with their physicians, and we are not there. Whereas patients always had to come to us to learn about disease and health, now they get most of their information online. Our absence online perpetuates a trend of diminishing importance of our profession,” he said.
As with much in life, the secret to being effective online comes down to showing up. “A physician becomes a trusted member of the community by being present. Over time, regular blog posts, Facebook updates, and Tweets allow the audience to become familiar with you.
If you decide to post, focus on information that is helpful and informative to your audience. You can discuss medications and non–Food and Drug Administration uses of medications – as long as you do not give actual medical advice, and are clear about any disclosures and disclaimers, Dr. Benabio said.
Google yourself and see what you find.“It is as important to be a trusted member of the online community as it is to be a trusted member of your actual community,” Dr. Benabio said.
Despite the opportunities offered by establishing an online presence, keep in mind that you are on a slippery slope, he said. “This is a critical time when we are trying to demonstrate our value as practitioners. The more comfortable people are with nonphysicians, the more difficult it will be for us to fight nonphysicians' expansion of their scope of practice.”
The seminar was sponsored by
SDEF and this news organization are owned by Elsevier. Dr. Benabio disclosed that he is a consultant for Livestrong.com
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. – Social media provides a way for you to engage with your patients and the community, whether you practice in an HMO or privately, according to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, a dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego.
No matter what your specialty, the principles of using social media such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as tools for improving patient care will apply. “Online patient communities are an ascendant means for patients to learn about their disease, and seek advice and comfort from [other] patients like them,” Dr. Benabio said in an interview. “Physicians can be part of this conversation and contribute to it. Who better to [advise] patients [on] how to live with pain, live with deformity, deal with insurance companies, than physicians?”
It takes no money but lots of time to build online networks. So why bother? “Patients are going online to interact with their physicians, and we are not there. Whereas patients always had to come to us to learn about disease and health, now they get most of their information online. Our absence online perpetuates a trend of diminishing importance of our profession,” he said.
As with much in life, the secret to being effective online comes down to showing up. “A physician becomes a trusted member of the community by being present. Over time, regular blog posts, Facebook updates, and Tweets allow the audience to become familiar with you.
If you decide to post, focus on information that is helpful and informative to your audience. You can discuss medications and non–Food and Drug Administration uses of medications – as long as you do not give actual medical advice, and are clear about any disclosures and disclaimers, Dr. Benabio said.
Google yourself and see what you find.“It is as important to be a trusted member of the online community as it is to be a trusted member of your actual community,” Dr. Benabio said.
Despite the opportunities offered by establishing an online presence, keep in mind that you are on a slippery slope, he said. “This is a critical time when we are trying to demonstrate our value as practitioners. The more comfortable people are with nonphysicians, the more difficult it will be for us to fight nonphysicians' expansion of their scope of practice.”
The seminar was sponsored by
SDEF and this news organization are owned by Elsevier. Dr. Benabio disclosed that he is a consultant for Livestrong.com