Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • What Physicians Say
  • My Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Speaking
KevinMD.com — Social media's leading physician voice
  • All
  • Physician
  • Burnout
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • All
  • Physician
  • Burnout
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
    • All
    • Physician
    • Burnout
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • What Physicians Say
    • My Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Speaking
KevinMD.com — Social media's leading physician voice
  • All
  • Physician
  • Burnout
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
    • All
    • Physician
    • Burnout
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • What Physicians Say
    • My Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Speaking
  • About Kevin Pho, MD, Founder of KevinMD
  • Aging and dementia: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Artificial intelligence: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Be heard on social media’s leading physician voice
  • Cancer: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Children’s health: what pediatricians say, in their own words
  • Contact Kevin
  • COVID-19: what physicians wrote as it happened
  • Custom enhanced author page pricing
  • Diabetes and obesity: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Direct primary care: what physicians say, in their own words
  • DMCA Policy
  • End of life: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Establishing, Managing, and Protecting Your Online Reputation: A Social Media Guide for Physicians and Medical Practices
  • GLP-1 drugs: what physicians say about Ozempic and its successors, in their own words
  • Heart disease: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Immigration and medicine: what physicians say about immigrant doctors and immigrant patients, in their own words
  • KevinMD influencer opportunities
  • Medical errors: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Medical ethics: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Medical malpractice: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Medical school: what students and physicians say, in their own words
  • Mental health: what psychiatrists and physicians say, in their own words
  • Nursing: what nurses and physicians say, in their own words
  • Opinion and commentary by KevinMD
  • Opioids: what physicians and pain patients say, in their own words
  • Physician burnout speakers to keynote your conference
  • Physician burnout: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Physician Coaching by KevinMD
  • Physician keynote speaker: Kevin Pho, MD
  • Physician personal finance: what physicians say about their own money, in their own words
  • Physician Speaking by KevinMD: a boutique speakers bureau
  • Physician suicide: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Physicians and administrators: what physicians say about who runs medicine, in their own words
  • Primary care physician in Nashua, NH | Kevin Pho, MD
  • Primary care: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Prior authorization: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Privacy Policy
  • Private equity and corporate medicine: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Race and medicine: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Recommended services by KevinMD
  • Residency: what residents and attendings say, in their own words
  • Scope of practice: what physicians, nurse practitioners, and PAs say, in their own words
  • Subscribe to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • Subscribe to the newsletter
  • Surgeons and surgery: what surgeons say, in their own words
  • Take-home messages: what physicians say when asked to leave one
  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Thank you for subscribing to KevinMD
  • Thank you for upgrading to the KevinMD enhanced author page
  • The electronic health record: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Vaccines: what physicians say, in their own words
  • Violence against health care workers: what physicians and nurses say, in their own words
  • What physicians say: the KevinMD records
  • Women in medicine: what women physicians say, in their own words
  • Women’s health: what physicians say, in their own words

Facebook should stay out of health care. Here’s why.

Mike Sevilla, MD
Social Media in Medicine
October 13, 2014
Share
Tweet
Share

The Internet was recently atwitter (see what I did there) about the major health care story of Ebola in the United States. However, there was also a interesting rumor announced at the end of last week, to which people should really be paying attention.

As reported by Reuters, Facebook is taking aim at health care, your health care: “The company is exploring creating online ‘support communities’ that would connect Facebook users suffering from various ailments. A small team is also considering new ‘preventative care’ applications that would help improve their lifestyles,” the article states.

Six years ago in 2008, I remember when Google tried to make a big splash with their Google Health product. That is now discontinued. I also remember in 2007 when Microsoft tried to make an impact with HealthVault. Of course, this year, Apple is trying to make in roads with their HealthKit software.

Will Facebook really make this happen? I don’t think they should, and here are three reasons they should not:

1. People’s lack of trust in Facebook. There are many stories about Facebook asking for forgiveness in breaking users privacy, instead of Facebook asking for permission. I mean, people get upset if private photos get mistakenly shown on Facebook. What will happen if their private health information gets out there?

2. Online support communities already exist. I really enjoyed listening to the vocal e-patient community respond to this. “Hey Zuck, there are already communities out here. Contact us and we’ll tell you about it.” Don’t quote me, but I think our pal Dr. Larry Chu, the dean of Stanford Medicine X, and e-patient champion, said that.

3. Potentially less sharing on Facebook. I’ve already written about the end of the medical chart in which patients would potentially ask their physician to not include information because of fear of hacking. People will do the same thing if this Facebook initiative happens.

However, here are three reasons why Facebook will ignore me, and many other people, and absolutely make this happen:

1. Everyone is on Facebook. Every time there is some kind of privacy breach, people get upset and threaten to leave, but they don’t. Every few months, a new website like Ello comes along claiming to the anti-Facebook, but no one leaves to go there. Facebook will be around, and when it comes down to it, we put up with the Facebook screw-ups, and continue using the service.

2. Lessons learned. I think that Facebook has done its homework and has learned from the failed Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault examples of the past. It will be interesting to see how they roll this out when they’re ready.

3. No one is going to stop them. We, in the health care field, have been asking mainstream tech companies to look more at health care as an opportunity. 2015 will be the year that the major Silicon Valley players will be looking at how to make our health better. Will physicians, providers, patients, and the industry be ready?

Mike Sevilla is a family physician who blogs at his self-titled site, Dr. Mike Sevilla.

Prev

Why do doctors still use pagers?

October 12, 2014 Kevin 43
…
Next

Why your doctor won't refill prescriptions over the phone

October 13, 2014 Kevin 12
…

ADVERTISEMENT

Tagged as: Physicians on Facebook

< Previous Post
Why do doctors still use pagers?
Next Post >
Why your doctor won't refill prescriptions over the phone

 

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Mike Sevilla, MD

  • A shout out to small hospitals

    Mike Sevilla, MD
  • How Captain Sully inspired this physician

    Mike Sevilla, MD
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    A doctor’s first-hand account of the flu

    Mike Sevilla, MD

More in Social Media in Medicine

  • The question doctors on social media should ask first

    Tali Lando, MD
  • Why real medical experts must become medical influencers

    Elizabeth Agyeman Prempeh, MD
  • 3 changes physicians on social media need from institutions

    Trisha Majumdar
  • Why health influencers shape patients, not prescriptions

    Timothy Lesaca, MD
  • LinkedIn for physicians is not optional in 2026

    Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD
  • Social media’s impact on the nursing workforce and student enrollment

    Lynne Moronski, PhD, MPA, RN
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Retirement isn’t the end of medicine, it’s a second act [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The conflict of interest that discloses as nothing

      Martha Rosenberg | Medications
    • 4 fibromyalgia myths the current evidence doesn’t support

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Why exhaustion can make you see things that aren’t there [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • AI governance in health care has to reach the exam room

      Amanda Heidemann, MD | Health Technology
    • The Pennsylvania measles outbreak and the cost of forgetting

      Christine King, CRNA | Conditions and Diseases
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why CDC opioid guidelines get the overdose data wrong

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Retirement isn’t the end of medicine, it’s a second act [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Sensory processing in autism and the brain’s volume control

      Josette Pelatan, PhD | Conditions and Diseases
    • What maternity care deserts cost a town

      Manisha Kaliaperumal | Health Policy
    • Why medicine needs a national physician license now

      Vaishali Popat, MD, MPH | Physician
    • A cold cost $945. The cost of primary care is broken.

      Susan Newman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why exhaustion can make you see things that aren’t there [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • 3 reforms to counter wellness influencers in practice

      Farid Sabet-Sharghi, MD | Physician
    • Shift work and circadian rhythms shape the 24/7 workplace

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Paid for twice

      Physicians paid for G2211 twice. Most never bill it.

      Michael Duben, MD | Physician Finance
    • The next child

      Medicaid managed care and the case for mutual stewardship

      Steven Merahn, MD | Health Policy
    • Choosing a limb lengthening surgeon requires accountability

      Hrayr Basmajian, MD | Physician

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 6 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

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Retirement isn’t the end of medicine, it’s a second act [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The conflict of interest that discloses as nothing

      Martha Rosenberg | Medications
    • 4 fibromyalgia myths the current evidence doesn’t support

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Why exhaustion can make you see things that aren’t there [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • AI governance in health care has to reach the exam room

      Amanda Heidemann, MD | Health Technology
    • The Pennsylvania measles outbreak and the cost of forgetting

      Christine King, CRNA | Conditions and Diseases
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why CDC opioid guidelines get the overdose data wrong

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Retirement isn’t the end of medicine, it’s a second act [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Sensory processing in autism and the brain’s volume control

      Josette Pelatan, PhD | Conditions and Diseases
    • What maternity care deserts cost a town

      Manisha Kaliaperumal | Health Policy
    • Why medicine needs a national physician license now

      Vaishali Popat, MD, MPH | Physician
    • A cold cost $945. The cost of primary care is broken.

      Susan Newman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why exhaustion can make you see things that aren’t there [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • 3 reforms to counter wellness influencers in practice

      Farid Sabet-Sharghi, MD | Physician
    • Shift work and circadian rhythms shape the 24/7 workplace

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Conditions and Diseases
    • Paid for twice

      Physicians paid for G2211 twice. Most never bill it.

      Michael Duben, MD | Physician Finance
    • The next child

      Medicaid managed care and the case for mutual stewardship

      Steven Merahn, MD | Health Policy
    • Choosing a limb lengthening surgeon requires accountability

      Hrayr Basmajian, MD | Physician

Copyright © 2026 KevinMD.com | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme

  • Terms of Use Agreement
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Facebook should stay out of health care. Here’s why.
6 comments

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

Loading Comments...