Pathologists’ use of social media is limited to a significant degree by our lack of understanding and comfort with it. Even those who use Facebook or other popular forums socially are hesitant to use it professionally; many fear they will inadvertently violate HIPAA’s regulations if they did. Others simply don’t believe in its value; or feel the time commitment would be too much for their already hectic schedules. But there is a benefit to it today – particularly Twitter and Facebook – and that is the wide reach a pathologist may have in educating people about diseases and about ourselves.
It’s important to recognize that social media sets the stage for pathologists to substantiate our role as patient advocates. It gives us a voice to explain who we are, what we do, why we are vital to medicine. And this voice, carried internationally, is extremely important given that pathologists represent only a small percentage of the total number of physicians.
The most common misperception about pathologists is that we are forensic pathologists whose practices mirror that of “Ducky” or “Quincy.” Social media allows us to accurately portray ourselves to the public as the engaged, quality-focused patient advocates that we are.
Social media is pathologists’ force multiplier.
Are pathologists alone
Frankly, all medical specialities lag behind the rest of society in engaging in social media. Pathologists indeed lag behind many of our colleagues; the reasons are not entirely clear, but one might speculate that our general lack of routine interaction with patients may be a factor.
Social media’s credibility as a tool for pathologists is, however, gaining momentum, as it has in other areas of public discourse. The increasingly sophisticated imaging technology has bolstered that credibility in the realm of pathology, allowing for the easy display of microscopic images.
Professional advancement
Twitter, my primary tool, allows me to share medical information efficiently, correspond with physician and non-physician colleagues, and interact in a trustworthy manner with the public. I and several of my pathology colleagues have invited others, and have ourselves been invited, to present nationally and internationally through acquaintances originally developed through Twitter. I know of pathologists whose professional use of social media ultimately led to professional advancement, including practice opportunities.
Engaging in social media can be fun and remarkably time-efficient. In developing a professional presence, it’s always best to choose a forum that you’re most comfortable with using personally already. Twitter is great for pathologists; it is simple to sign up with, and once you begin to “follow” others, you gain “followers”. Make sure to provide an avatar; the egg should be considered merely a placeholder. Increasingly, physicians, including pathologists, are using Twitter to live tweet and catalogue medical conferences. Involving oneself in a conference’s live Twitter feed is a good way to learn from, and even contribute to, conferences in real time. Facebook, traditionally a social media forum predominantly used for entertainment purposes, is being used professionally more and more, in particular by colleges and students, and I predict this trend will continue. A more recent social media entry, Instragram, may prove to be an innovative method for a pathologist to manage, for example, a digital microblog.
Get hot on HIPAA
As with any form of communication, social media must be used in a safe manner; however, judiciously following a few basic ground rules and understanding HIPAA basics can help avoid trouble. A quick online search will present many sites that give useful tips. Of course, when in doubt about a situation, it is best to not share it on social media.
Another risk to consider is the sharing of inappropriate material. A good rule of thumb is to stay away from social media when, for example, attending festive gatherings – what might seem extremely funny on Friday night often is not on Monday morning. A limited amount of appropriate humor is helpful, though, as it allows a pathologist’s personality to shine thorough. That helps demonstrate pathologists as human beings, which encourages trust. But professionalism is key; and by following a few simple rules, risks can be avoided. Everyone has to take responsibility for appropriately managing their digital footprints.
Don't like it? Flip the channel
In all fairness, social media is a relatively new method of communication and hesitance in getting involved with it is understandable. Some pathologists with whom I have spoken who are not yet social media aficionados share with me their concerns about great time commitments, lack of value, and annoyance from other, perhaps less scrupulous, persons on social media. I try to allay their time concerns by explaining that social media time commitments do not have to be great for them to have a significant professional impact. Indeed, modest time commitments can provide real education to the public. In addressing their sense that social media involvement lacks value, I highlight the successes of pathologists engaged in social media, such as Dr Michael Misialek (@DrMisialek).
Regarding the annoyances that many fear are inherent in social media, I remind them that in fact there are potential annoyances in all forms of public communication. Expecting those annoyances to disappear is unrealistic; however, they can be dealt with in the same way as in other aspects of life. Just as one changes the radio station or flips to another channel, the pathologist engaged in social media must merely recognize and avoid those annoyances.
The house of medicine is today hyper-turbulent. Patients and their families, payors, and policymakers are looking for successful ways of obtaining, paying for, and providing efficient, patient-centered, quality medical care. Just as we are now seeing political elections turn to a significant degree on social media impact, we should expect the future of medicine to also be significantly influenced by social media. The pathologist’s role in social media has never been more critical to the wellbeing not only of pathology as a profession — by sharing who we are and what we do with the public — but to the wellbeing of our patients — by providing trustworthy, expert knowledge about health and disease that can be used globally.
Timothy Craig Allen is clinical professor, department of pathology, director of anatomic pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Timothy Craig Allen is Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology at The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA
