Apps like Figure1 foster an environment of teamwork and respect.
This is the way medicine is moving, as evidenced by the success
of the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). In the PCMH
model of care, the physician, physician’s assistant, nurses and other
professionals work in an environment of teamwork, rather than a
superior and subordinates. Everyone works at their own level of
capabilities, and is valued and respected for that. At the center of
this team is the patient. It has become a widely successful model,
and education is changing to reflect this model.
One challenge posed by social media well-known to health care
professionals is the ease of which anyone can share articles and in-
formation without carefully vetting the source. For example, in 1998
a research paper was published showing a link between the MMR
vaccine and autism. Roughly 10 years later, a panel ruled that the
author had acted dishonestly after investigations found no evidence
behind his claims. Before the rise of social media, this story may
or may not have reached the general public via the evening news.
With today’s popularity of social media however, it is the norm for
individuals to see a news heading on the internet, and then share
it with their friends along with their opinion. While this can be an
invaluable tool, it can also be grossly misused. Countless articles
written by nonscientific sources deem the vaccine situation as a
conspiracy by the government, science and medical community.
When one worried parent shares such an article along with their
decision to not vaccinate on social media, it inevitably influences
several others who trust them to follow suit. This has led to a large
movement towards parents choosing to not have their children
vaccinated and the return of diseases previously close to eradication.
The digitalization of society is understandably frustrating for
many long-practicing physicians. It can sometimes seem as though
the trusting relationship between physicians and their patients is
slowly being erased by social media and mob mentality. This has
likely been a contributor to physician burnout rates being among
the highest ever recorded. My initial challenge was for you to see
social media in a new light. I now amend that challenge to ask
you to use social media in a different light. If public health is to
be a top priority, we must adapt to the ever-changing methods of
communication and use them to benefit health. This means being
present on social media, and sharing correct information. Even a
weekly post with information about a particular disease or healthy
diet goes a long way when the audience is a group of people you
already have some connection with. As respected members of the
community, we have a voice and to not use that voice in one of the
largest platforms available is a waste of resources. For those more
interested in education and giving back to their field, taking a few
minutes to write about your experiences in a blog could have a
powerful impact on students looking for insight about the field.
We can each be responsible for the betterment of our profession
through the use of social media as a more open and easy source
of dialogue.
Amber Shadoan is an M2 at the U of L School of Medicine.
MARCH 2017
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