How Can Social Media Get Us in Trouble?

Abstract

When utilized properly, social media offers several personal and professional benefits for the practicing surgeon, including peer networking, education, e-mentorship, marketing, recruitment, and patient outreach. However, unprofessional online behavior is common among surgeons, and this improper use of social media can be quite dangerous. This article reviews the dangers of social media and illustrates this with examples of unprofessional behavior and the associated consequences. It also provides recommendations for maintaining a professional and productive online persona. Surgeons must understand the various social media platforms and their target audience while upholding online professionalism at all times.

Keywords

professionalism - social media - disciplinary action - Facebook - Twitter - Instagram

• References

• 1 Available at: http://www.facebook.com , accessed February 5, 2017
• 2 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide , accessed February 5, 2017
• 3 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/277229/facebooks-annual-revenue-and-net-income , accessed February 5, 2017
• 4 Available at: http://twitter.com , accessed February 5, 2017
• 5 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/282087/number-of-monthly-active-twitter-users , accessed February 5, 2017
• 6 Available at: http://www.instagram.com , accessed February 5, 2017
• 7 Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/253577/number-of-monthly-active-instagram-users , accessed February 5, 2017
• 8 Langenfeld SJ, Cook G, Sudbeck C, Luers T, Schenarts PJ. An assessment of unprofessional behavior among surgical residents on Facebook: a warning of the dangers of social media. J Surg Educ 2014; 71 (06) e28-e32
• 9 Langenfeld SJ, Sudbeck C, Luers T, Adamson P, Cook G, Schenarts PJ. The glass houses of attending surgeons: an assessment of unprofessional behavior on Facebook among practicing surgeons. J Surg Educ 2015; 72 (06) e280-e285
• 10 Langenfeld SJ, Vargo DJ, Schenarts PJ. Balancing privacy and professionalism: a survey of general surgery program directors on social media and surgical education. J Surg Educ 2016; 73 (06) e28-e32
• 11 Yamout SZ, Glick ZA, Lind DS, Monson RAZ, Glick PL. Using social media to enhance surgeon and patient education and communication. Bull Am Coll Surg 2011; 96 (07) 7-15
• 12 Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed , accessed February 5, 2017
• 13 Available at: http://www.symplur.com/healthcare-hashtags/acscc14 , accessed February 5, 2017
• 14 Available at: http://www.symplur.com/healthcare-hashtags/acscc15 , accessed February 5, 2017
• 15 Available at: https://twitter.com/JennyMcCarthy , accessed February 5, 2017
• 16 Available at: https://twitter.com/KimKardashian , accessed February 5, 2017
• 17 Available at: https://twitter.com/AnnalsofSurgery , accessed February 5, 2017
• 18 Available at: https://twitter.com/AmCollSurgeons , accessed February 5, 2017
• 19 Available at: http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/16/showbiz/joan-rivers-clinic , accessed February 5, 2017
• 20 Available at: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/3/denver-institutions-cut-ties-doctor-who-called-mic , accessed February 5, 2017
• 21 Available at: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=michelle+herren , accessed February 5, 2017
• 22 Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/colorado-doctor-michelle-obama-monkey-face-ape-in-heels-racial-slur-disciplined-michelle-herren-a7450016.html , accessed February 5, 2017
• 23 Available at: http://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/04/20/for_doctors_social_media_a_tricky_case , accessed February 5, 2017
• 24 Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/06/amy-dunbar-obgyn_n_2630823.html , accessed February 5, 2017
• 25 Greysen SR, Chretien KC, Kind T, Young A, Gross CP. Physician violations of online professionalism and disciplinary actions: a national survey of state medical boards. JAMA 2012; 307 (11) 1141-1142
• 26 Mostaghimi A, Crotty BH. Professionalism in the digital age. Ann Intern Med 2011; 154 (08) 560-562