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
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Is Social Media a Fit for Doctors?
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 > Is Social Media a Fit for Doctors?
eHealthHospital AdministrationSocial Media

Is Social Media a Fit for Doctors?

Jonathan Catley
Jonathan Catley
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

The American College of Physicians (ACP) announced recently that physicians looking to increase their online presence and brand need to “proceed with extreme caution on social media”, especially when engaging with patients.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) announced recently that physicians looking to increase their online presence and brand need to “proceed with extreme caution on social media”, especially when engaging with patients. As online and social channels becomes more enticing for physicians as a cheaper alternative than traditional media outlets for medical marketing and personal branding, some common sense and awareness must be utilized.doctors, social media

Some of the notable recommendations from the ACP press release include:

  • Physicians should not “friend” or contact patients through personal social media.
  • Physicians should keep their professional and personal personas separate.
  • Establishing a professional profile so that it “appears” first during a search, instead of a physician ranking site, can provide some measure of control that the information read by patients prior to the initial encounter or thereafter is accurate.
  • Encouraging education programs that take a pro-active approach to a person’s digital image or online reputation
  • If a person reaches out to a doctor through electronic means and it is not an patient, physicians should use their judgment and usually encourage the person to schedule an office visit or go to the emergency room, whichever is more appropriate

Social media can be a great outlet for physicians to help educate the population, showcase innovative procedures and demonstrate their abilities with case study profiles. Physicians are encouraged to establish their own professional profile which will assist in controlling the amount of accurate information patients discover when using online searches. It is important that physicians take ownership of their search ranking because many patients rely on physician ranking sites or review sites to provide them with information. 

More Read

Hospitals Ineligible for Incentive Payments Lag Behind in EHR Adoption
Self-Monitoring: Track Your Metabolism on Your Smartphone
How Hospitals Can Use Twitter’s Vine App
Technology Helps Care Delivery
How Digital and Social Media Transforms Medical Journal Publishing

There are many examples of physicians who are both visible and active on social media channels, and when executed properly, there are many patient and marketing benefits.

  • Higher visibility and more exposure for your practice
  • Establish yourself as a thought leader or expert within your specific industry
  • Control of your online brand
  • Increase in web traffic
  • Increase in web referrals or conversions
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Library of information for potential patients
  • Promotion of “Before and After” procedure results
  • A trusted resource for reliable procedure information

The inclusion of social media into an online medical marketing strategy is a logical step given the number of benefits; just remember to use common sense and “proceed with extreme caution.”

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Why Do Academic Medical Centers Do Poorly on Quality Report Cards?

September 25, 2012
eHealth

Big Data, Small Data… Size Doesn’t Matter, Data Management Does.

November 13, 2012
eHealthHealth careMedical DevicesMedical InnovationsTechnology

Technology’s Vital Role in Healthcare Improvements

October 16, 2017
healthcare social media
eHealthSocial Media

Living and Working Social: Good or Bad Medicine for Healthcare?

June 6, 2013
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?