Factors Influencing the Adoption and Use of Social Media by Physicians

Presented by: Brian S. McGowan, PhD

@briansmcgowan

*** Author of the forthcoming fall 2012 release of: *** #SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare

March 29th, 2012

Inconsistent Data of Docs ‘Using’ SoMe

2% Twitter 4% Facebook

Sermo 2010

PeerView 2010 MCM 2010; unpublished

Do you use ____ professionally?

(n~300) American College of Surgeons 2010: http://bit.ly/e5PiaP

Do you ‘have a Facebook account’?

Have you ever ‘used’ Twitter?

Do you ‘use’ YouTube?

Have you ever participated in an online health blog?

64% YES 36% NO

20% YES 80% NO

82% YES 18% NO

35% YES 65% NO

* ACS has a YouTube Channel

Misleading Data of Docs ‘Using’ SoMe

!!%*&^## Data of Docs Using SoMe

Sept.2011

@briansmcgowanMarch 29th, 2012

How comfortable are you that you understand how

physicians are using social media?

Defining ‘Social Media’

Internet-based applications which allow for the creation and exchange of user-generated

content and includes services such as social networking, professional online communities,

wikis, blogs, and microblogging.

Defining ‘Meaningful Use’Hypothesis:There are 3 ways that HCPs ‘use’ social media:

1. To practice – treating patients2. To promote public health messaging (& promotion)3. To learn – sharing of medical information/knowledge

Patient CarePromote

Public Health Share &

Learn

Bucket 1 Bucket 2 Bucket 3

Defining ‘Meaningful Use’

TO TREAT

TOTEACH

TO

LEARN

Bucket 1

Bucket 2

Bucket 3

Care

Info

Info

Defining ‘Sharing Medical Information’

• The exchange of information, advice, ideas, reports and scientific discoveries with other in the medical community.

• A focus on life-long learning and practice improvement

Share &

Learn

Bucket 3

Authors and Collaborators

Robert S. Miller, MD, FACPClinical AssociateSidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns HopkinsOncology Medical Information OfficerJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Bryan Vartabedian, MD, FAAPAssistant Professor of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine

Molly Wasko, PhDAssociate Professor and ChairUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham School of Business

Purpose of Study

• To identify factors associated with the adoption and use of social media by physicians to share medical information

• Utilized a theoretical framework to identify factors and predict the adoption and use of social media

Perceived Ease of Use

External FactorsAttitude

Perceived Usefulness

Behavior Intention to Use Technology Use

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Davis, F. D. (1989), "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology", MIS Quarterly 13(3): 319–340

Methods• Survey:

– Developed using theoretical framework, previous literature, and input from advisory board. Surveys were pilot tested using cognitive interview process prior to implementation

• Distribution:– Surveys were distributed by email in March 2011 to a random selected

sample of US oncologists and primary care physicians.

• Target groups and sample size:– US Oncologists (n=186) & US Primary Care Physicians (n=299)

• Response Rate:– A sample of 491 responses were collected however 485 responses

were analyzed. – Response rate = 27%

• This study was submitted and approved by IRBs at Western and JHU

http://medicine20congress.blogspot.com/2011/08/physician-adoption-of-social-media-for.html

Survey Sample Demographics

Demographic Characteristics Oncologyn = 186

Primary Care n = 299

Degree MD/DO 100% 100%

Years since graduation from medical schoolMean/St. dev. 24 years/10 24 years/9

Percent Male 75% 72%

Patients seen per weekMean/St.dev. 100 patients/56 124 patients/73

Practice Location UrbanSuburban

Rural

47%44%9%

23%60%17%

Practice Setting Solo Practice Group Practice Medical School

Non-Government Hospital

12%68%9%5%

34%60%1%3%

Major professional activity Direct patient care 97% 98%

Physician Adoption and Use of Social Media to Share Medical Knowledge with Other Physicians

Physician Adoption and Use of Social Media to Share Medical Knowledge with Other Physicians

eMai

l

Doc-

only

Co

mm

uniti

es

Texti

ng

Mob

ile A

pps

iTun

es

Wik

is

YouT

ube

Face

book

Podc

astin

g

Blog

s

Linke

dIn

Twitt

er

RSS

Feed

s

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Unaware

Will Never Use

Current User

@briansmcgowanMarch 29th, 2012

How comfortable are you that you understand WHY

physicians are ‘using’ social media?

Physician attitudes towards using social media

20%

22%

18%

47%

45%

49%

33%

33%

33%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All respondents

Oncologists

Primary Care Physicians

Waste of time Neutral Essential use of time

Physician attitudes towards using social media

21%

23%

19%

47%

45%

49%

32%

33%

32%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All respondents

Oncologists

Primary Care Physicians

Risky Neutral Benefic ial

Physician attitudes towards using social media

15%

18%

14%

49%

50%

49%

36%

33%

38%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All respondents

Oncologists

Primary Care Physicians

Boring Neutral Engaging

Physician attitudes towards using social media

20%

23%

18%

44%

45%

43%

37%

32%

39%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All respondents

Oncologists

Primary Care Physicians

Bad way to get info Neutral Good way to get info

Physician attitudes towards using social media

18%

20%

17%

51%

52%

50%

31%

28%

32%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All respondents

Oncologists

Primary Care Physicians

Low quality Neutral High quality

Benefits of primary care physicians using social media

6%

7%

7%

6%

7%

11%

9%

13%

11%

8%

8%

9%

11%

5%

6%

18%

20%

23%

17%

17%

26%

24%

19%

28%

29%

24%

23%

20%

22%

22%

7%

7%

6%

10%

10%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Using Social Media enables me toaccomplish job tasks more effectively

Using Social Media improvesmy job performance

Using Social Media increasesmy job productivity

Using Social Media enables meto care for patients more effectively

Using Social Media helps improvethe quality of my patient care

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat DisagreeNeither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree AgreeStrongly Agree

Ease of use - Primary Care Physicians

6%

6%

4%

11%

12%

13%

14%

14%

15%

21%

23%

21%

31%

30%

32%

13%

11%

12%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Learning to use social media was easy for me

It was easy for me to become skillfull at using social media

I find social media easy to use

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat DisagreeNeither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree AgreeStrongly Agree n = 299

Advancing the Community – Primary Care Physicians

16%

10%

7%

29%

29%

23%

36%

39%

39%

15%

19%

28%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

I feel that it is important to help others to advance the professional community

It’s important to help my professional community succeed

When people share knowledge, the entire professional community benefits

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat DisagreeNeither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree AgreeStrongly Agree n= 299

Social Norming – Primary Care Physicians

8%

12%

11%

18%

18%

13%

13%

15%

13%

25%

27%

23%

28%

21%

23%

17%

16%

22%

18%

15%

14%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

There is a strong physician community that Ican access using social media

There is a critical mass of other physiciansthat I can reach using social media

People in my profession who are important tome encourage the use of social media

People in my profession who have aninfluence on me encourage the use of social

media

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree

Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree

Strongly Agree n= 299

Innovativeness - Primary Care Physicians

10%

11%

8%

10%

8%

19%

17%

15%

16%

19%

11%

21%

12%

14%

21%

22%

25%

30%

23%

30%

20%

13%

17%

20%

12%

15%

9%

15%

14%

8%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

I actively seek new ways to use socialmedia in my practice

I usually find out about new social mediaapplications earlier than others

In my area of medical expertise, I am regarded as being on the “cutting edge”

I improved and developed new techniquesin my area of medical expertise

I am dissatisfied with the existing ways toaccess information related to my medical

expertise

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree

Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree

Strongly Agree n= 299

Barriers – Primary Care Physicians

7%

5%

25%

14%

23%

16%

9%

22%

15%

18%

14%

15%

21%

18%

19%

17%

20%

16%

25%

22%

27%

20%

7%

18%

8%

16%

24%

8%

5%

7%

10%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

The systems required to participate in social media are not readily available

I am too busy to participate in social media

I don't have time to learn how to use social media for professional purposes

I am concerned that using social media will consume too much time once I get started

I prefer using traditional sources of medical knowledge

Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat DisagreeNeither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree AgreeStrongly Agree n= 299

Five Next Steps

1. Focus on the ‘big movable middle’

2. Better understand what fed the various attitudes

3. Explore the barriers more meticulously

4. Objectively demonstrate the benefits of bucket 3 use

5. Insist on this level (or higher) rigor of data!!

Factors Influencing the Adoption and Use of Social Media by Physicians

@briansmcgowan

*** Author of the forthcoming fall 2012 release of: *** #SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare

March 29th, 2012

Questions and Comments