Paper:Dangers and opportunities for social media in medicine

Reference
George, Daniel R et al. “Dangers and opportunities for social media in medicine” Clinical obstetrics and gynecology vol. 56,3 (2013): 453-62.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3863578/


Title :

Dangers and opportunities for social media in medicine

Important quotations:

1. social media in medicine is to improve patient communication, enhancing professional development, and contributing to public health research and service

2. Medical professionals strongly consider how the powerful tools of our age can be harnessed to promote individual and public health as well as personal growth and development

3. social media: powerful connectivity

4. Some drawbacks: consequences for individual privacy, and the dangers these technologies pose to health professionals are formidable 

Abstract

Keywords: social media, technology, professionalism, patient-physician relationships, communication, public health
Conclusion

Health professionals have begun using social media to benefit patients, enhance professional networks, and advance understanding of individual and contextual factors influencing public health. However, discussion of the dangers of these technologies in medicine has overwhelmed consideration of positive applications. This article summarizes the hazards of social media in medicine and explores how changes in functionality on sites like Facebook may make these technologies less perilous for health professionals. Finally, it describes the most promising avenues through which professionals can use social media in medicine – improving patient communication, enhancing professional development, and contributing to public health research and service.

Conclusion

In the early 21st century, the powerful connectivity achieved by modern digital tools has led to remarkable human achievements across the globe – from the overthrowing of autocratic regimes through public uprisings coordinated on Facebook and Twitter to the collective solution of complex mathematical problems across wikis. Empowering users to post content that is public, rapidly-indexed, and searchable to a global audience has had profound consequences for individual privacy, and the dangers these technologies pose to health professionals are formidable. However, the evolving nature of SM functions and privacy settings, coupled with the changing healthcare landscape in the United States necessitate that medical professionals strongly consider how the powerful tools of our age can be harnessed to promote individual and public health as well as personal growth and development.