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The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

Whitney Zember Fishman BS

 

 

“Despite a proliferation of apps that let people monitor every movement and morsel they eat, information technology has yet to revolutionize health care the way it has upended, say, shopping. What the upstarts lack in scale (for now), they more than make up for in utility. Imagine joining an online global community of people with the same rare disorder, or finding a doctor on the basis of detailed patient reviews. Facebook may provide its fans with tools they love, but this new wave of social networks offers tools that its users can't live without -- in some cases literally.”
Social media comes to health care. Fortune. 2013 Apr 29;167(6):52, 54. Bradley R

 

 

The use of social media has moved main stream with nearly all major Radiology organizations (RSNA, ACR, ARRS et al.), all major radiology journals (Radiology, AJR, Abdominal Imaging) and most named medical institutions (Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, Stanford, Mass. General Hospital) being involved in sites ranging from Facebook, to Twitter, to Instagram and beyond.
"Although many radiologists are already using social media, a large number of our colleagues are still unaware of the wide spectrum of useful information and interaction available via social media and of the added value these platforms can bring to daily practice."
Social media for radiologists: an introduction
Erik R. Ranschaert et al.
Insights Imaging (2015) 6:741-752

 

What is social media?

  • Social media are computer-mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks.
  • Social Media is the future of communication, a countless array of internet based tools and platforms that increase and enhance the sharing of information.

 

 

Social & Professional Networks

A challenge for the Radiologist is the number of potential networks and choosing where they should put their efforts and resources

 

Mobile is driving social media from ‘trend’ to way of life

  • Mobile phones have made the web accessible for almost everyone
  • In 2016…
    • Global smartphone user base will reach 1.86 billion (+25% of the world’s population!)
    • 42% of the world’s mobile phone users will use advanced handsets
    • 53% of the world’s mobile phone users will be mobile Internet users (1st year surpassing 50%!)

 

Even companies like Apple recognize the importance of healthcare in mobile devices

Even companies like Apple recognize the importance of healthcare in mobile devices

 

What about our patients? What do they want?

  • Access to their medical records
  • Access to their imaging records
  • Access to information about their disease and outcomes
  • Immediate access to physicians or other care providers when they want them
  • People are no longer willing to have medicine practiced as it is has been for the last century

 

The patients expectations will impact Radiology delivery

  • Increased desire for interaction with the radiologist
  • Increased use of Google to define what treatment options they have
  • Increased use of second opinion
  • Increased lack of trust in the system

 

 

“ As more and more people use social media platforms for other forms of information, adopting social media as tools for personal health is only natural. Social media can play a critical role in patients’ taking charge of their own health because of its informational, emotional, and communicative value.”
How Social Media Can Impact Medicine and Radiology
Zember WF, Fishman EK, Horton KM, Raman SP
J Am Coll Radiol. 2015 Jun;12(6):620-1

 

 

“Rather than allowing other physician specialties or random websites to set the terms of debate about the appropriateness of different imaging tests or the importance of radiologists’ role in patient care, social media may allow us to thrust ourselves back into the conversation.”
How Social Media Can Impact Medicine and Radiology
Zember WF, Fishman EK, Horton KM, Raman SP
J Am Coll Radiol. 2015 Jun;12(6):620-1

 

 

“In addition, health care trends in general have shown a movement toward patient-centric models, as patients increasingly seek ways to take charge of their own health. As a result, patients are making increasing efforts to develop “trusted” networks they can rely on. The idea of “trusted” networks has evolved and no longer simply encompasses people whom they know in the real world but, increasingly, people and communities online whom they are confident turning to in times of need. It is imperative that hospitals and physicians work to be included in patients’ trusted networks both online and offline.”
How Social Media Can Impact Medicine and Radiology
Zember WF, Fishman EK, Horton KM, Raman SP
J Am Coll Radiol. 2015 Jun;12(6):620-1

 

 

"A 2008 national survey by the American College of Radiology revealed that one in two Americans still does not know "whether a radiologist is a person who interprets or a person who administers the scan."

The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

 

 

"Rather than view radiology as a well-developed medical specialty, many believe that radiology is a profession with little intellectual stimulation and that imaging services commodities distinguished by cost rather than expertise."

The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

 

Social Media allows us to rebrand and redefine ourselves

  • What is radiology and what are radiologists
  • What do radiologists actually do
  • What our various imaging exams provide and what their limitations are
  • What is the role of radiology and radiologists in their health care
  • Provide information to our patients at multiple touch points before and after imaging studies (review studies with patients?)

 

Potential benefits and opportunities of social media for Radiologists

Improvement of radiologists' visibility among clinicians and patients

Social media for radiologists: an introduction
Erik R. Ranschaert et al.
Insights Imaging (2015) 6:741-752

 

Potential benefits and opportunities of social media for Radiologists

  • Improvement of radiologists’ visibility among clinicians and patients
  • Increased interaction with clinicians regionally, nationally, and globally
  • Exchange and availability of relevant information and knowledge
  • Distribution and discussion of information and cases for education and research
Social media for radiologists: an introduction
Erik R. Ranschaert et al.
Insights Imaging (2015) 6:741–752

 

 

"Over the past 5 years, social media have had a profound impact on the way doctors, patients, organizations, and even governments interact. Social media are interfaces through which individuals can create and share real-time news and information with others. They can flatten hierarchies, break down geographical boundaries, and provide access to a global network of healthcare professionals. A recently published comprehensive analysis of social media in the NHS encourages healthcare workers to fully embrace the social media revolution and realize the benefits for staff, patients, and their families."
Social media: the next frontier in Radiology
Patgiraja F et al.
Clinical Radiology 70(2015) 585-587

 

www.RadiologyInfo.org

www.RadiologyInfo.org

 

www.RadiologyInfo.org

www.RadiologyInfo.org

 

Over 1,000,000 monthly visits

Over 1,000,000 monthly visits

 

There are sites that directly address the patient.

www.cancercommons.org

There are sites that directly address the patient.

 

 

There are sites that directly address the patient.

 

 

“ Radiologists have been unwilling to directly discuss scan results with patients under the assumption that they might not understand what we are telling them. Bill Phillips’s lecture has convinced us that our true customers are not other physicians ordering scans but rather the patients undergoing those scans, and, going forward, we must be willing to directly interact with those patients and convince them to partake of our radiologic services.”
The Men’s Health Special Sauce: Ingredients Revealed
Bill Phillips, Elliot K. Fishman, Karen M. Horton, MD, Siva P. Raman
Journal of the American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 351 - 353

 

 

“Just as the readership of Men’s Health looks to the magazine for direct advice, we believe that patients will want to hear directly from their radiologists about what studies to undergo, the results of their examinations, and recom- mendations for follow-up. People increasingly want to take charge of their own health, and radiology practices willing to help patients do so might end up being more economically successful.”
The Men’s Health Special Sauce: Ingredients Revealed
Bill Phillips, Elliot K. Fishman, Karen M. Horton, MD, Siva P. Raman
Journal of the American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 351 - 353

 

Social Media is an opportunity to rethink how we do things

Education and Training
  • Medical student, resident, fellowship training
  • Post graduate CME
  • Radiologic technologist
  • Referring physician
  • Patient education
Patient care
  • Patient education
  • Physician education
  • Allied Health Professional education
Research
  • Patient recruitment
  • Patient follow-up
  • Multi-institutional research (national and international)

 

What social media sites might be most helpful to you?

  • What is your mission?
  • Who is your intended audience?
  • What kind of media do you want to use?
    • Static images
    • Video files
  • What is your budget?
Goal: Provide connectivity between your team, your goals, your vision and the world (or at least your targeted audience)

 

What are the most popular social media sites for medicine?

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • You Tube
  • Linked In

 

 

Top 10 Networking Apps
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Google Plus +
  • Tumblr
  • Instagram
  • VK
  • Flickr
  • Vine
Top 5 Social Networking Apps
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Google Plus +

 

We have expanded our www.ctisus.com to social media to find a new way to reach of desired audience beyond the classic website

We have expanded our www.ctisus.com to social media to find a new way to reach of desired audience beyond the classic website

 

We provide a daily case of the day with discussion, pearls of the day as well as radiology factoids.

We provide a daily case of the day with discussion, pearls of the day as well as radiology factoids.

 

We provide information to “balance” the pure education of the Facebook page

We provide information to balance the pure education of the Facebook page

 

Facebook Statistics

Facebook Statistics

200-400,000 users each day

 

The number and range of the reach of social media is defined on the results of the CTISUS Facebook page

The number and range of the reach of social media is defined on the results of the CTISUS Facebook page

 

 

“Facebook is a potentially valuable educational tool for the generation that uses social media because it delivers information directly to users in a way to which they have become accustomed. When a user connects to a Facebook page, that page’s posts are delivered to the user’s personal page in real time, so that information is communicated directly to the user in a timely fashion, rather than the user having to search for new information.”
New Frontiers in Education: Facebook as a Vehicle for Medical Information Delivery
Carolina Lugo-Fagundo, Madison B. Johnson, Rachel Black Thomas, Pamela T. Johnson, Elliot K. Fishman
Journal American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 316 - 319

The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

 

 

“Facebook has been embraced by medical professionals and medical institutions to promote health awareness, develop research projects, facilitate patient and student education, improve consultation and collaboration, increase disease awareness, and describe best-practice guidelines.”
New Frontiers in Education: Facebook as a Vehicle for Medical Information Delivery
Carolina Lugo-Fagundo, Madison B. Johnson, Rachel Black Thomas, Pamela T. Johnson, Elliot K. Fishman
Journal American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 316 - 319

The Role of Social Media in Your Radiology Practice: What You Need to Know and Why You Need to Know It

 

CTISUS Tweeter Account 2016 Shows That This Media Has a Defined Audience

CTISUS Tweeter Account 2016 Shows That This Media Has a Defined Audience

 

YouTube is the home for our Over 3000 Videos

YouTube is the home for our Over 3000 Videos

YouTube is Cross Platform and is a Key Division of Google

 

Social Media and Patient Care: Thinking Differently

  • Can social media be used to recruit patients with rare diseases for a clinical trial or for follow up?
  • Can social media be used to recruit patients to be study participants?

 

 

“A total of 671 respondents with a Fontan palliation completed a valid survey, including 76 who had PLE and 46 who had PB. Responses over time demonstrated periodic, marked increases as new online populations of Fontan patients were reached. Of the responses, 574 (86%) were from the United States and 97 (14%) were international. The leading referral sources were Facebook, internet forums, and traditional websites.”
Social Media Methods for Studying Rare Diseases
Schumacher KR et al.
Pediatrics. 2014 May;133(5):e1345-53

 

 

“ Overall, social media outlets referred 84% of all responses, making it the dominant modality for recruiting the largest reported contemporary cohort of Fontan patients and patients who have PLE and PB. The methodology and response patterns from this study can be used to design research applications for other rare diseases.”
Social Media Methods for Studying Rare Diseases
Schumacher KR et al.
Pediatrics. 2014 May;133(5):e1345-53.

 

Can we use social media to expand our clinical practices and our academic potential?

  • Screening studies
    • Virtual colonoscopy
    • Low dose lung cancer screening
    • Mammography
  • Patient safety initiatives
    • Image gently
    • Image wisely

 

 

"There is a growing interest by public health organizations in the use of social media in the dissemination of health information, emergency preparedness and communicable disease control, particularly after the H1N1 influenza pandemic. For example, the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health Protection Agency (HPA) all have Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and videos on YouTube."
Using Social Networking Sites for Communicable Disease Control: Innovative Contact Tracing or Breach of Confidentiality?
Mandeville KL et al.
Public Health Ethics. Apr 2014; 7(1): 47-50.

 

 

Purpose: “The goal of this study was to use patient reviews posted on Yelp.com, an online ratings website, to identify factors most commonly associated with positive versus negative patient perceptions of radiology imaging centers across the United States.”
Methods: A total of 126 outpatient radiology centers from the 46 largest US cities were identified using Yelp.com; 1,009 patient reviews comprising 2,582 individual comments were evaluated. Comments were coded as pertaining to either the radiologist or other service items, and as expressing either a positive or negative opinion.
“Conclusions: Patients’ perception of radiology imaging centers is largely shaped by aspects of service quality. Schedulers, receptionists, technologists, and billers heavily influence patient satisfaction in radiology. Thus, radiologists must promote a service-oriented culture throughout their practice.”
Factors Influencing Patients’ Perspectives of Radiology Imaging Centers: Evaluation Using an Online Social Media Ratings
Doshi AM, Somberg M, Rosenkrantz AB.
J Am Coll Radiol. 2016 Feb;13(2):210-6

 

Why now or should I wait?

  • First mover advantage
  • People develop “trusted” sites and it then becomes hard to change them
  • Things will continue to evolve so anything you develop today will need to change tomorrow (it is not a textbook)

 

 

“ Social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Naver, and Reddit serves as a potential platform through which physicians can expand research efforts, promote health awareness, facilitate patient education, and communicate new research findings and best-practice guidelines. Because social media have become integrated into the lives of the millennial generation, medical educational materials need to be adapted to reach this generation of physicians, who are using it for information distribution and interaction.”
New Frontiers in Education: Facebook as a Vehicle for Medical Information Delivery
Carolina Lugo-Fagundo, Madison B. Johnson, Rachel Black Thomas, Pamela T. Johnson, Elliot K. Fishman
Journal American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 316 - 319

 

 

“The millennial generation favors more technologically oriented teaching methods, and web-based delivery of information and educational materials will only grow as future physicians are exposed to technology at a young age. The information provided in this article could be valuable to medical educators and those who are in the process of or are considering developing an educational Facebook page.”
New Frontiers in Education: Facebook as a Vehicle for Medical Information Delivery
Carolina Lugo-Fagundo, Madison B. Johnson, Rachel Black Thomas, Pamela T. Johnson, Elliot K. Fishman
Journal American College of Radiology , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , 316 - 319

 

Challenges

  • Time and effort on a 24/7/365 basis
  • Content is king- you need content!
  • Someone needs to take responsibility
  • Financial costs are real
  • Revenue may be a challenge in this world of “free content”
  • Is it part of your core mission?

 

What Can Go Wrong?

  • Institutional policy (know the rules)
  • Excess time commitment (another day in paradise)
  • Questionable academic reward (no peer review so of limited value for promotion)
  • Long term strategy (financial and more)

 

 

“Using social media does carry with it the need for some caution: misuse can have major implications for both patient care and even your career. Inappropriate online behavior can potentially damage your personal integrity, the patient-doctor relationship, a doctor-colleague relationship, or opportunities for future employment.”
How Social Media Can Impact Medicine and Radiology
Zember WF, Fishman EK, Horton KM, Raman SP
J Am Coll Radiol. 2015 Jun;12(6):620-1

 

 

“ Social media applications such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook have attained huge popularity, with more than three billion people and organizations predicted to have a social networking account by 2015. Social media offers a rapid avenue of communication with the public and has potential benefits for communicable disease control and surveillance. However, its application in everyday public health practice raises a number of important issues around confidentiality and autonomy.”
Using Social Networking Sites for Communicable Disease Control: Innovative Contact Tracing or Breach of Confidentiality?
Mandeville KL et al.
Public Health Ethics. Apr 2014; 7(1): 47–50.

 

 

"The increased prominence of electronic health records, email, mobile devices, and social media has transformed the health care environment by providing both physicians and patients with opportunities for rapid communication and knowledge exchange. However, these technological advances required increased attention to patient privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)."
HIPAA for physicians in the information age
Kavoussi SC et al.
Conn Med. 2014 Aug;78(7):425-7.

 

Conclusion

Social media will play a critical role in all aspects of our practice. It is never too early or too late to get started. Good luck!!
 
Acknowledgements
  • Elliot K Fishman MD
  • Pamela T Johnson MD
  • Whitney Zember Fishman BS

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