Blue Ocean and Hidden Reefs: Social media guidelines for Canadian physicians

March 7, 2012Pat Rich – Director, CMA Online Content

Overview

Why social media guidelines for physicians?

Why the Canadian Medical Association

Process Final product

Why guidelines for physicians

Social media use is widespread in Canadian society

Increasing use by the public and patients to use social media to engage in information-seeking about health matters and engagement with other patients on health issues

Physicians uncertain about how or why to use social media (feedback from CMA ePanel survey)

Communicating through social media can place physicians at legal and professional risk if not used properly

Why the CMA

Why the CMA

National volunteer advocacy organization for Canadian physicians

Long history of providing policy guidance to physicians

CMA Code of Ethics adopted in 1868 Policies developed and maintained on a number of

issues E.g. Relations with the Pharmaceutical Industry

Medical Professionalism

Electronic communication with patients

Why the CMA

Some guidance provided by Canadian physician regulatory authorities (e.g. BC College) and Canadian Medical Protective Association

Guidelines for U.S., British and Australian/New Zealand physicians by respective medical associations

Proliferation of hospital/health care institutional guidelines for SM use

Why the CMA

No guidance for Canadian physicians focusing specifically on the medical profession and providing a “balanced” perspective of social media

Process

Final Product - Highlights

Preamble – stressing the document just contains guidance and that any regulations from provincial licensing authorities take precedence

Focus:protect patient confidentialityRetain professional/personal boundariesRespect copyright law

Final product - highlights

Potential benefits:•Improving communication with patients•Ability to deliver important public health messages•Quicker to medical expertise•Improving quality of medical information available

Final product - Highlights

Rules of Engagement Understand technology and audience Be transparent Respect others Focus on areas of expertise

… and in the end

“Social media and Canadian physicians – issues and rules of engagement”

Available at: www.cma.ca (home page link) or www.cma.ca/advocacy/social-media-canadian-physicians aussi en francais