By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Healthcare Breakthroughs: 3 Ways to Improve Your Chances of Fighting Obesity
    September 22, 2017
    Bone Marrow Donation and Compensation: My Moral Dilemma
    December 11, 2013
    health problems caused by poor cleanliness
    5 Serious Health Problems Caused By Poor Cleanliness
    September 15, 2020
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Doctors and Social Media: What are the appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship?
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > Doctors and Social Media: What are the appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship?
Social Media

Doctors and Social Media: What are the appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship?

Barbara Ficarra
Barbara Ficarra
Share
3 Min Read
Doctor - Computer ID-10033361
SHARE

 

 

Doctor - Computer ID-10033361

 

More Read

online communities and disclosure
Articles about Disclosure in Online Communities
Marketing Your Medical Device to Millennials? Here’s Why Mobile Matters Most
#HCSM Review – Edition 28 – Connectivity – Request For Submissions
Entrepreneurs Hacking Healthcare [PODCAST]
Top 4 Branding Ideas For Yoga Teachers

 

Doctor - Computer ID-10033361

Continuing on the topic of physicians use with social media, David Harlow, Esq, Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answers a series of questions focusing on the legal aspects of physicians engaging in social media.

Q: Barbara – What are appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship?

A: David Harlow, Esq. – Most physicians and authorities agree that a health care professional should not “friend” or otherwise connect with a patient (or accept a request to do the same) on Facebook or other online social media platforms for any purpose other than to advance the clinician-patient relationship, always being mindful of the patient’s right to privacy when engaged in open online dialogue that can be read by others.

Patients, of course, have the right to waive these concerns, as many do in this day and age, blogging about rare diseases, for example, in order to raise awareness or to gain insight from a clinician the patient would otherwise never see in real life.

Personal connections made on line, like those made in real life, are fraught with the risk of the clinician exploiting, or being seen as exploiting, what is generally considered to be an unequal power relationship.

In this day and age, however, the underlying premise about the relationship bears re-examination. Patients, who are engaged, educated and empowered to participate in their own health care — e-patients who are also wired, connected on line — are less likely to see themselves as being on the weak end of an unequal power relationship. It seems to me that the medical boards considering these issues should consider the possibility that a “one-size-fits-all” approach may not work.

Personal communications in online communities between clinicians and patients are not that different from those that may take place in a grocery store in a small town — patients may seek out a clinician’s advice for a “curbside consult.” Furthermore, some clinicians may wish to model responsible behavior and offer support to their patients through personal online accounts (e.g., Facebook). Posting “I’m enjoying a glass of zinfandel with dinner” is very different from posting a photo of drinking to excess.

For the time being, however, the most appropriate approach is to move conversations veering from the general to the individual clinical issues into a private and secure forum — or offline.

This is the first installment in a series of posts on the legal aspects of social media, with legal expert, David Harlow, Esq.

 

Image courtesy of photostock/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

Health Care Social Media – How to Engage Online Without Getting into Trouble (Part I)

January 4, 2012
healthcare social media
Social Media

Study: Facebook “Likes” Just as Good as Any Other Quality Measure

March 5, 2013
eHealth social media
eHealthMedical EthicsPolicy & LawSocial MediaTechnology

Pause Before Posting: New Social Media Position Paper Guides Physicians

May 15, 2013

Mobile Health Around the Globe: Apps on Health Storified

March 19, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?