This reaches beyond professional communications online and deep into a surgeon’s personal life, the team noted, so exercise caution when “friending.”
“While this practice is inevitable, surgeons should be aware of potential conflicts. Connecting with or accepting friend requests from some but not all coworkers or coresidents could be interpreted as favoritism and may create a problematic work relationship. … Surgeons should consider primarily connecting with coworkers on professional websites if they have little contact with them outside the workplace.”
As for friending patients – just don’t, for both your sake and theirs. “Accepting a patient’s Facebook friend request may allow them access to events, details, and commentary not traditionally appropriate for the patient-physician relationship. Accepting such requests is strongly discouraged. If concerned about appearing rude or rejecting a patient’s request to be Facebook friends, the patient can be referred to society guidelines or best practices such as these.” One helpful alternative to such a request may be to invite patients to follow a practice website or other professional page.
Conflicts of interest
Online friends might not require disclosures when a surgeon posts about an exciting procedure or piece of equipment, such as whether there is a financial interest in doing so, but it’s important to be proactive. “As always, it is the physician’s responsibility to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. If it is not feasible to include a relevant conflict of interest within a post, the post should not be made.”
Defamation
Irritated about a colleague? Keep it to yourself – especially if you’ve had a beer. “It is never appropriate to post derogatory comments about patients or colleagues. Surgeons should be careful not to post in anger or under the influence of any substance. Statements about a colleague’s abilities, experience, or outcomes intended in jest may be appropriate for the surgeon’s lounge, yet entirely inappropriate for public consumption. Again, the ‘pause-before-posting’ practice is likely to prevent regretful posts in this vein.”
Privacy and Permanence
The Internet goes everywhere and lasts forever. A snappy quote that’s funny at 2 a.m. might not seem so hilarious in the light of day – or even in the light of a day 5 years yet to come.
The delete key is a false friend, and that clever pseudonym you dreamed up is probably as crackable as the classic “Pa55word” password. “One should presume that all content posted online will remain there forever and may be seen by anyone. Again, ‘pause-before-posting’ is a recommended practice.”
Privacy settings should be viewed as an illusion, the team noted. In this era of face recognition and tagging, images carry just as much risk as words.
Collegial support
Maybe your mother was right when she said, “This is for your own good.” If a colleague’s postings are getting out of hand, a tactful heart-to-heart might be the best course of action. “As coined by Dr. Sarah Mansfield, ‘Looking after colleagues is an integral element of professional conduct.’ Surgeons who notice colleagues posting unprofessional content that could be damaging to both the colleague and the public’s trust in the profession should discreetly express their concern to the individual, who should then take any appropriate corrective actions. … If the action is in violation of the law or medical board regulations, it should be reported to the appropriate governing bodies.”
Physician, Google Thyself
The team acknowledged that an online presence is virtually a must for professional development. And even if you don’t create a web page, chances are your university or hospital has done it for you. The media is interested in your life, too, and may make mention of your activities – both positive or negative.
“To better understand and control this publicly accessible information, surgeons are encouraged to periodically self-audit themselves online and taking measures to ensure that the information present is accurate and professional.” Some professional service websites are more trustworthy than others. The team encouraged physicians to participate in the ACS professional pages, LinkedIn, Doximity, and ResearchGate.
Not rules – just recommendations
The team stressed that their recommendations aren’t meant to stifle personal expression. Instead, their aim is to prompt a more conscious use of what can be a very powerful tool for both self-expression and professional development.
“The authors recommend no punitive action based on a perceived ‘violation’ of these recommendations alone. While they refer to other guidelines, including laws such as HIPAA, that must be appropriately enforced, these best practices are intended to guide the practicing surgeon in the use of social media rather than act as regulations or encourage reprimand. Rather than encouraging a social media landscape as sterile as the operating theater, the authors hope these recommendations lead to conscious consideration of online behavior, to avoidance of preventable harm, and to recognition of others’ views of their posts.”
None of the authors reported any financial disclosures.
SOURCE: Logghe HJ et al. J Am Coll Surg. 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2017.11.022.