Use of Twitter in Neurology: Boon or Bane?

Abstract

Twitter is a free, open access social media platform that is widely used in medicine by physicians, scientists, and patients. It provides an opportunity for advocacy, education, and collaboration. However, it is likely not utilized to its full advantage by many disciplines in medicine, and pitfalls exist in its use. In particular, there has not been a review of Twitter use and its applications in the field of neurology. This review seeks to provide an understanding of the current use of Twitter in the field of neurology to assist neurologists in engaging with this potentially powerful application to support their work.

Neurología social

“…Canales como Twitter 6 son empleados tanto por profesionales como por pacientes. Un reciente trabajo ha subrayado la importancia de Twitter a la hora de difundir resultados de investigación, la formación médica continuada y la trasformación de los congresos médicos tradicionales en el campo de la neurología 7 .…”

A Bird in the Hand: A Neurologist's Guide to Efficient Tweeting in the Age of Social Media

“…Given the ubiquitous nature of social media, particularly Twitter, it is increasingly unlikely that neurologists will be able to avoid this trend for long. 6 However, clinicians carry great responsibility, including in the use of social media. In cardiovascular medicine, the promotion of articles via…”

“…Twitter is an easy-to-use, dynamic and versatile instrument that clinicians may harness in general to enhance academic outreach. 6 In this pragmatic review, we aim to provide a stepwise guide for neurologists on the efficient and effective use of Twitter for a range of academic activities.…”

Editors' Note: Use of Social Media in Health Care—Opportunities, Challenges, and Ethical Considerations: A Position Statement of the American Academy of Neurology

“…1 Social media platforms such as Twitter have become a pervasive presence in our times, offering a unique landscape that may be harnessed for education, research, networking, and advocacy. 2 However, outside of a well-defined ethical framework, there is potential for misuse. Clinicians choosing to use social media must learn to become adept at handling both facets.…”