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
    Physicians
    Why Recruiting Physicians is More Challenging than Hiring Other Professionals
    December 17, 2024
    Telemedicine Apps
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    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
    Image
    Surge Exercises: Bombings and Blast Injuries
    April 21, 2013
    This Week in Washington
    March 27, 2012
    Are You Providing Value to Patients?
    June 12, 2013
    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: JAMA Viewpoint Calls for Revising Physician Social Media Guidance
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 > Business > Hospital Administration > JAMA Viewpoint Calls for Revising Physician Social Media Guidance
eHealthHospital AdministrationMedical EthicsPolicy & LawSocial Media

JAMA Viewpoint Calls for Revising Physician Social Media Guidance

thielst
thielst
Share
3 Min Read
physicians social media
SHARE

physicians social mediaIn a viewpoint published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, three ethics and psychiatry experts from Johns Hopkins University argue that industry guidelines on online medical professionalism inappropriately call on physicians to separate their personal and professional identities.

physicians social mediaIn a viewpoint published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, three ethics and psychiatry experts from Johns Hopkins University argue that industry guidelines on online medical professionalism inappropriately call on physicians to separate their personal and professional identities.

Instead, social media guidance should focus on what is appropriate for physicians to share in the public realm, the authors write.

In the viewpoint, Matthew DeCamp, Thomas Koenig and Margaret Chisolm outline four reasons why calling on physicians to maintain distinct professional and personal online identities is not a practical requirement. They argue that such guidelines:

More Read

telehealth
Physician Practices Revisit Telehealth to Monetize Time and Differentiate
Did We Learn the Secret to Fixing Healthcare in Kindergarten?
Dealing With Grief in the Healthcare Field
Video: Driving Value With Technology Investments
mHealth: Valuable Information in PwC Report, But are the Findings Remarkable?
  • Are operationally impossible, since “no current technology” can prevent the public from using the Internet to “connect [physicians’] professional and personal content;”
  • Lack user consensus and have been unable to garner “physician endorsement and adoption;”
  • Are inconsistent with the concept of professional identity; and
  • Are potentially harmful because physicians would have to manage the “psychological or physical burden of trying to maintain [two] identities” and patients might miss out on certain benefits and might experience less trust if they “sense that their physician is intentionally hiding something.”

The authors suggest that physicians’ social media content should be decided “on whether it is appropriate for a physician in a public space.” They argue that this guidance would have several advantages:

  • It does not require physicians to perform an “impossible” task or rely “on an incorrect concept of professional identity;”
  • It likely would be accepted by the physician community because it builds “on the vast experience physicians already have in navigating public spaces, rather than asking them to do something new or unfamiliar;” and
  • It fits into “existing general professionalism curricula at medical schools, which encourage students to be mindful of professional identity in public and private spaces, not to fully separate their identities.”

The authors conclude, “Absent this approach, the professional transgressions motivating guidelines will persist and the potential benefits of social media will remain unrealized” (DeCamp et al., JAMA viewpoint, 8/14). 

I think it is important to keep in mind that the AMA released mere “guidelines” for those who need some guidance in identifying the boundaries. However, our professional reputations are on the line and it is up to us, as individuals, to manage them.

(Physicians and social media / shutterstock)

TAGGED:JAMA
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

eHealthTechnology

Image Utilization Is On The Rise In The United States – Is It Good?

April 14, 2020

Sign Posts on the Road to Connected Health Adoption

March 6, 2015
Image
Medical Education

Questions About How We Train Primary Care Doctors

May 21, 2012

Rib-X Pharmaceuticals’ Nobel Prize Winning Platform Combats Serious Infections

June 9, 2011
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?