Social Media: Ophthalmologist's Friend or Foe?

Lecture given at the 2024 Makati Medical Center (MMC) Department of Ophthalmology's 3rd Postgraduate Course on Ethics and Professionalism in Ophthalmology: Navigating the Future Now. Held at the 8th Floor, MMC Auditiorium, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines

1. https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/C4E12AQF-fIc6N2OMZQ/article-cover_image-
shrink_600_2000/0/1520058959865?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=LBVF2g7B9MAwY_9or7xnyZeOLkdYWG3MCV5DOgS_BAY
Social Media:
Ophthalmologist’s
Friend or Foe?
Alvina Pauline D. Santiago, MD, MBA
September 21, 2024

2. AFFILIATIONS

3. DISCLOSURE:
I AM ON SOCIAL MEDIA

7. HARNESSING SOCIAL MEDIA
•Educate
•Promote [health] advocacies
•Network
•Marketing
•Practice Management Advice
•Refer patients or Consult
about patients (online
opinion)

8. HARNESSING SOCIAL MEDIA
•Connect
•Casual talk
•Establish friendships
•Find a mate
•Digital Imprint
•Make your opinion or
issues known
•Search for a job

9. OUTCOMES
Define Social MediaDefine
Discuss situations when social media can be of benefit to the practicing ophthalmologistDiscuss
Discuss situations when social media threatens the ophthalmologist’ practiceDiscuss
https://www.vcstar.com/gcdn/-mm-/4997c9e0913916869051d7d9aa95aa2e858d5f64/c=0-138-4281-2556/local/-/media/2017/04/24/Redding/Redding/636286537704774563--stockphoto---
Medine.jpg

10. SOCIAL MEDIA
•Internet-based tools
•Individuals and communities gather
and communicate
•Share information, ideas, personal
messages, images, videos and other
content
•Collaborate with others in real time
•Social networking
Ventola CL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.
https://adllinsmedia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Adllins-Media-Social-Marketing-Platforms.jpg

11. https://westernindustrial.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Social-Media-Friend-or-Foe.jpg

12. https://westernindustrial.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Social-Media-Friend-or-Foe.jpg
https://prod-printler-front-
as.azurewebsites.net/media/photo/135338.jpg?mode=crop&width=425&height=600&rnd=0.0.1
A LIKE OR AN EMOJI
A TEXT

13. https://westernindustrial.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Social-Media-Friend-or-Foe.jpg
https://prod-printler-front-
as.azurewebsites.net/media/photo/135338.jpg?mode=crop&width=425&height=600&rnd=0.0.1
•Opposite of Friend
•Enemy, Opponent
•Obsessed with your
destruction
A LIKE OR AN EMOJI
A TEXT

14. 29K Physicians
1.5 K eyeMDs
Number of healthcare professionals in the Philippines in 2021 by profession. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1281314/philippines-number-of-health-care-workers-by-
profession/#:~:text=Accounting%20for%20nearly%20half%20of,country%20as%20of%20this%20date.
Fred Hollows Foundation. https://www.hollows.org/en-US/where-we-work/philippines/#:~:text=The%20majority%20of%20the%20country's,who%20desperately%20need%20eye%20care.

15. FRIEND
•Professional Networking
•Professional Education
•Organizational Promotion
•Patient Care
•Patient Education
•Public Health Programs
https://www.vcstar.com/gcdn/-mm-/4997c9e0913916869051d7d9aa95aa2e858d5f64/c=0-138-
4281-2556/local/-/media/2017/04/24/Redding/Redding/636286537704774563--stockphoto---
Medine.jpg
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.

16. SOCIAL MEDIA & MD:
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
https://www.softwareadvice.com/resource
s/social-media-for-doctors/

17. SOCIAL MEDIA & MD:
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

18. SOCIAL MEDIA & MD:
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

19. ORGANIZATIONAL
PROMOTION
•Enhance image and visibility
•57% of consumers: Socmed
presence influence choice
•81% of consumers: Socmed
presence indication that
hospital offers cutting edge
technologies
•Attract new patients
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals:
benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-
520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.

20. PAO ON SOCIAL MEDIA

21. PAO ON SOCIAL MEDIA

22. PSPOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

24. MAKING YOUR PRACTICE KNOWN

25. chrome
-
extension://
efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj
/https://
ww
w.philippinemedicalassociation.org
/wp
-
content/uploads/2019/06/Code
-of-Ethics
-of-the
-Medical
-
Profession
-2019
-adopted
-by
-PMA
-and
-PRC.pdf

26. PHYSICIAN PATIENT ONLINE INTERACTION
•https://meddefenders.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Reputation-management_interact-with-patients_03_20_23-1100x490.png
•Physician answers questions
•Emphasize physician advice
•Improve adherence if with chronic disease
•Improve patient care & health outcomes
•Improve patient satisfaction

27. PUBLIC HEALTH
PROGRAM
•https://ro1.doh.gov.ph/54-press-release-2/848-doh-conducts-vision-screening-
to-grade-school-learners-of-la-union

28. https://www.healio.com/~/media/slack-news/fm_im/misc/infographics/2021/january/pc0121dizon_graphic_01.jpg?w=800

29. •Unreliable information
•Damage to professional image
•Patient Privacy
•Violation of boundaries
•Legal issues
•Varying (& changing) professional
guidelines
https://www.vcstar.com/gcdn/-mm-/4997c9e0913916869051d7d9aa95aa2e858d5f64/c=0-138-
4281-2556/local/-/media/2017/04/24/Redding/Redding/636286537704774563--stockphoto---
Medine.jpg
Ventola CL. Social media and health care
professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices.
P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128;
PMCID: PMC4103576.
Foe

31. COVID 19 FAKE NEWS
•Holding one's breath for 10 seconds was claimed to be an effective self-test for
the coronavirus
•Vodka was alleged to be an effective homemade hand sanitizer, or an ingredient
in one.
•vinegar was more effective than hand sanitizer against the coronavirus
•inhaling 0.5–3%hydrogen peroxidesolution using anebulizercould prevent or
cure COVID-19
•Gargling with saltwater was said to kill the coronavirus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unproven_methods_against_COVID-19

32. FACT CHECK!
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/did-director-
steven-spielberg-die/
https://www.wikiobits.com/Obits/Steven_Spielber
g

33. Dr. Mike
•https://www.thesun.ie/news/world-news/6201453/sexist-doctor-alive-blasted-for-partying-without-mask/
Damage
Professional
Image

34. UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT ONLINE
•Violations of patient privacy
•Use of Profanity
•Use of discriminatory language
•Images of sexual suggestiveness
•Images of intoxication
•Negative comments about patients,
health facility, etc
•Digital photographs during surgery
•Posing with weapons or alcohol
•Posting or reposting content that may be
harmful to profession
•Airing of frustrations
•Venting esp about patients
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.

35. SEPARATE PERSONAL FROM PROFESSIONAL PAGE?
•Overlapping network of friends,
family, colleagues
•Customize content and who can
view
•HCP search your own name and
information to ensure social
media presence maintains
professional image
https://www.the-travel-franchise.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Network-image-scaled-1.jpg
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.

36. “Footage shows the moment
doctors held a New Year's party
in the surgery suite while a
woman screams in agony as she
gives birth.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8104167/doctors-
new-year-party-woman-labour-birth/

37. DATA PRIVACY ACT OF 2012
•Sensitive health data
•Punitive clause
•Criminal
https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/v2/D4D22AQHOdn8CW-C5GA/feedshare-shrink_800/feedshare-
shrink_800/0/1705986863331?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=ET7XRSvGr02RRskHEzzU5o0kXx3AP9JDltVLlHFl0l4

38. •“So I have a patient who has choses to either
no-show or be late (sometimes hours) for all of
her prenatal visits, ultrasounds and NSTs. She is
now 3 hours late for her induction. May I show
up late to her delivery?”
•A different patient saw this and posted in mom’s
public page of the hospital

39. SPECTRUM FIRES EMPLOYEES
AFTER FB POST ABOUT PATIENTS
https://i0.wp.com/www.justthejob.co.za/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/fired.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1

40. HTTPS://ABCNEWS.GO.COM/US/CHICAGO-DOCTOR-SUED-PHOTOGRAPHING-HOSPITALIZED-INTOXICATED-
WOMAN/STORY?ID=20003303
•No consent given
•MD was a ”friend” of patient and
posted in their circle
•Future repercussions for the
patient
•$1.5M lawsuit
https://darta.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ALCOHOL-
POISONING-CROP.png

41. MD, TURNED POLITICIAN
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/doctor-turned-politician-posted-gruesome-images-facebook/story?id=22654225

42. LICENSING ISSUES
•Penalties for unprofessional conduct
online
•Fines
•License suspension or revocation
•PRC Board of Medicine
•PMA Ethics Board
•PAO Ethics Committee

43. •Freedom of speech
•Right to privacy
•Cyber-libel and bullying
•Honor code and confidentiality
•Information on SocMed can be used
to portray (rightfully or wrongly) a
person’s personality or character
•HCP exposure to lawsuits if “medical
advice” provided
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014
Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.
LEGAL ISSUES

44. E-PROFESSIONALISM:
DOUBLE STANDARDS
•Which generation?
•Social media natives vs
rookie mistakes
•Cultural differences?
•Which board or
organization?

45. STATE MEDICAL BOARDS: 10 VIGNETTES
WHAT WILL TRIGGER AN INVESTIGATION?
High Consensus
(Nearly all)
•Misinformation on
clinical outcomes
on MD website
•Misrepresentation
on MD Website
•Patient photos receiving
treatment without
consent
•Contacting patient
through a dating
site for a date
Moderate
(50-75%)
•Doctor clearly
intoxicated
•Patient narratives
with potential
identifiers
•Discriminatory language on a blog
or socmedsite
Low (<50%)
•Disrespectful of
patient but no
identifiers
•Ciinicalnarratives
without violation
of privacy
•Doctors drinking
but not clearly
intoxicated
Shultz D (2013). These are the tweets that will get a doctor in trouble. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/01/11/169153648/these-are-the-tweets-that-will-get-a-doctor-in-
trouble
Greysen, S. R., Johnson, D., Kind, T., Chretien, K. C., Gross, C. P., Young, A., & Chaudhry, H. J. (2013). Online professionalism investigations by state medical boards: first, do no harm.Annals of internal
medicine,158(2), 124–130. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-2-201301150-00008

46. DRINKING
•Intoxicated
•In uniform
•Formal event
•Patient care
Shultz D (2013). These are the tweets that will get a doctor in trouble. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2013/01/11/169153648/these-are-the-tweets-that-will-get-a-doctor-in-trouble

47. DATING
APPS
https://i.insider.com/658f4e55ab6f2ebb11f7ecef?width=889&format=jpeg

48. DATING APPS
https://i.pinimg.com/1200x/49/00/ff/4900ff8b887069809d7
d03d31ffe9415.jpg
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tlZNmRdqpig/hq720.jpg?sqp=-
oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLAom8xdoj_sUTFD1av
BUAIKoyw8mg

49. VIOLATION OF
PATIENT – HCP
BOUNDARY
•Patients usually initiate online
communication
•Generally thought that improper
for HCP to interact with a patient
in a general platform like fb
•Discourage personal online
communication between HCP and
patient
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-LP017_BOUNDA_GR_20151207110526.jpg
VentolaCL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P
T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520. PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.

50. PHILIPPINE
ACADEMY OF
OPHTHALMOLOGY
SOCIAL MEDIA
POLICY

52. https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*N4nvY-M-xWfpY0LoU97uQQ.jpeg

53. https://epigram.org.uk/content/images/2019/11/social-media-2-1.jpg

54. https://epigram.org.uk/social-media-friend-or-foe/

55. REFERENCES
•Aungst T (2014).Where social media went wrong for medical professionals
https://www.thedigitalapothecary.com/musings/2014/8/10/where-social-media-went-wrong-for-medical-professionals
•Dupe C (2019). Social Media: Friend or Foe? https://epigram.org.uk/social-media-friend-or-foe/.
•Greysen, S. R., Johnson, D., Kind, T., Chretien, K. C., Gross, C. P., Young, A., & Chaudhry, H. J. (2013). Online professionalism investigations
by state medical boards: first, do no harm.Annals of internal medicine,158(2), 124–130. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-2-
201301150-00008
•Shultz D (2013). These are the tweets that will get a doctor in trouble. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2013/01/11/169153648/these-are-the-tweets-that-will-get-a-doctor-in-trouble
•Ventola CL. Social media and health care professionals: benefits, risks, and best practices. P T. 2014 Jul;39(7):491-520.
PMID: 25083128; PMCID: PMC4103576.
•List of Unproven Methods Against Covid 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unproven_methods_against_COVID-19