Is Social Media Scary?

Here is an interesting article that I came across when researching social media use and healthcare: Social Media Should Be Embraced By Health Care.

In it, author Colin Son, M.D., discusses how social media is being integrated into the health care industry and the effect it has on patient privacy. He mainly focuses on how social media tends to be seen negatively by health care providers. 

The example he uses of nurses posting photos on Facebook of a stabbing victim that came to the hospital when they should have been trying to save his life. As many of us know, a few bad apples can ruin the whole bundle which is why rare situations such as this example can cause health providers to lean away from social media. 

Yet I have to ask the question, "Is it social media that caused these nurses to post photos instead of offer care?” In my opinion, no, social media did not cause these actions; the individual is at fault. However, once the media catches wind of a story such as this, it can and will spread quickly, negatively influencing the overall perceptions of health care providers. 

Son suggests that if guidelines were in place, then these problems can be minimal. In fact, guidelines do exist, but various industries may follow these guidelines differently. To protect themselves and patients, health providers should follow a social media policy. Implementing a social media policy can create a safe avenue for social media to enter into the health care industry. 

Having an effective policy in place can help reduce providers’ fears of social media use. As Son mentioned in the article, it has the potential to be “abused” by anyone. Just how integrated social media will become in the health care industry is an issue that will remain at the top of the headlines for awhile, yet I believe the benefits of using social media can outweigh the consequences.