Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The repercussions of declining Facebook friend requests from patients

Nathalie Majorek, MD
Social media
November 10, 2013
Share
Tweet
Share

At the end of a long day at my medical practice, I am sitting at my computer catching up with friends via Facebook. Suddenly, a notification pops up: one of the patients I saw today has sent me a friend request. I know that the ACP, AMA and every other physician organization recommends strongly that doctors not connect with patients via social media, so I quickly click to decline the invitation.

I spend the rest of the evening imagining the awkward conversation when the patient next comes to see me, where I have to explain why I had to decline the request. I know that digital communication with patients can lead to blurring of personal and professional boundaries, miscommunications and confidentiality breaches. But I wonder whether the dangers really outweigh the benefits.

I have limited time available to see each patient in the office and an out-of-office communication channel such as Facebook could allow me to be more accessible to patients. I would be available to answer non-urgent questions in my free time and I could also take advantage of my social networks to send out public health announcements and advocate for important health causes.

But what of that blurring of personal and professional? This is a question that goes far beyond the issue of social media. Doctors are constantly faced with the dilemma of how much to share of their own personal lives. Can empathy help a patient suffering from an ailment the doctor has experienced himself? Can a personal story make the patient feel closer to the physician and instill confidence in her?

Numerous studies show that a positive relationship with the doctor promotes confidence, encourages compliance with treatment, and aids healing. I have occasionally shared a personal anecdote when it seemed to be in the patient’s best interests. My personal problems are of course not the concern of the patients, and they need to feel that I am giving them 100% of my energy. But on the other hand, I don’t want to be one dimensional and inaccessible. A small amount of sharing can go a long way in sending a patient home with a spring in his step and the hope that he will be healed.

Miscommunications can happen through social media, but they can happen in short office visits as well. Social networking is not a short-lived trend; a whole generation has grown up communicating in a digital format. Patients are coming to see the doctor after they have Googled their symptoms and compiled a list of possible diagnoses. This being the case, a social network where the doctor can respond and explain has distinct advantages over the anonymous and often inaccurate information available on the Internet. Digital communication is obviously not a substitute for in-person medical exams, but can serve as a helpful supplement.

Confidentiality breaches are a real issue but can be solved with strict guidelines regarding which types of content are appropriate for digital sharing and using technology to ensure safe communication.

I think the strongest argument for the use of social media for patient-doctor communication is the sheer number of Facebook requests I have declined over the last few years. Patients are reaching out to doctors, wanting to have a direct line of communication without feeling they are intruding on their personal time with a phone call. They are telling us with each friend request that they want a glimpse into the real person behind the white coat. They are saying that they want to be more proactive and involved in their own care, letting their doctors know about their progress in between clinic visits. What kind of message does it send to our patients when they reach out and we take a step backwards?

Nathalie Majorek is co-founder, MDCapsule and can be reached on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Prev

We need a new word for patient

November 10, 2013 Kevin 47
…
Next

The benefits of a free, web based EHR

November 10, 2013 Kevin 6
…

Tagged as: Facebook

Post navigation

< Previous Post
We need a new word for patient
Next Post >
The benefits of a free, web based EHR

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More in Social media

  • How social media and telemedicine are transforming patient care

    Jalene Jacob, MD, MBA
  • How DrKoop.com rose and fell: the untold story behind the Surgeon General’s startup

    Nigel Cameron, PhD
  • How I escaped the toxic grip of social media

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • Why doctors must fight health misinformation on social media

    Olapeju Simoyan, MD
  • I was trolled by another physician on social media. I am happy I did not respond.

    Casey P. Schukow, DO
  • Social media: Striking a balance for physicians and parents

    Dawn Baker, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why recovery after illness demands dignity, not suspicion

      Trisza Leann Ray, DO | Physician
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why does rifaximin cost 95 percent more in the U.S. than in Asia?

      Jai Kumar, MD, Brian Nohomovich, DO, PhD and Leonid Shamban, DO | Meds
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • When errors of nature are treated as medical negligence

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Physician job change: Navigating your 457 plan and avoiding tax traps [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden chains holding doctors back

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Hope is the lifeline: a deeper look into transplant care

      Judith Eguzoikpe, MD, MPH | Conditions
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • From hospital bed to harsh truths: a writer’s unexpected journey

      Raymond Abbott | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 38 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why recovery after illness demands dignity, not suspicion

      Trisza Leann Ray, DO | Physician
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • Why does rifaximin cost 95 percent more in the U.S. than in Asia?

      Jai Kumar, MD, Brian Nohomovich, DO, PhD and Leonid Shamban, DO | Meds
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • When errors of nature are treated as medical negligence

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Physician job change: Navigating your 457 plan and avoiding tax traps [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden chains holding doctors back

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • Hope is the lifeline: a deeper look into transplant care

      Judith Eguzoikpe, MD, MPH | Conditions
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • From hospital bed to harsh truths: a writer’s unexpected journey

      Raymond Abbott | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The repercussions of declining Facebook friend requests from patients
38 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...