Survey of Individual and Institutional Risk Associated with the Use of Social Media

Abstract

IntroductionResidents and faculty in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs might be unaware of the professional and legal risks associated with the use of social media (SM). The objective of this study was to identify and characterize the types and reported incidence of unprofessional SM behavior by EM residents, faculty, and nurses and the concomitant personal and institutional risks.MethodsThis multi-site study used an 18-question survey tool that was distributed electronically to the leaders of multiple EM residency programs, members of the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors (CORD), and the residents of 14 EM programs during the study period May to June 2013.ResultsWe received 1,314 responses: 772 from residents and 542 from faculty. Both groups reported encountering high-risk-to-professionalism events (HRTPE) related to SM use by residents and non-resident providers (NRPs), i.e., faculty members and nurses. Residents reported posting of one of the following by a resident peer or nursing colleague: identifiable patient information (26%); or a radiograph, clinical picture or other image (52%). Residents reported posting of images of intoxicated colleagues (84%), inappropriate photographs (66%), and inappropriate posts (73%). Program directors (PDs) reported posting one of the following by NRPs and residents respectively: identifiable patient information (46% and 45%); a radiograph, clinical picture or other image (63% and 58%). PDs reported that NRPs and residents posted images of intoxicated colleagues (64% and 57%), inappropriate photographs (63% and 57%), or inappropriate posts (76% and 67%). The directors also reported that they were aware of or issued reprimands or terminations at least once a year (30% NRPs and 22% residents). Residents were more likely to post photos of their resident peers or nursing colleagues in an intoxicated state than were NRPs (p=0.0004). NRPs were more likely to post inappropriate content (p=0.04) and identifiable patient information (p=0.0004) than were residents.ConclusionEM residents and faculty members cause and encounter HRTPE frequently while using SM; these events present significant risks to the individuals responsible and their associated institution. Awareness of these risks should prompt responsible SM use and consideration of CORD’s Social Media Task Force recommendations.

The use of social media for professional purposes among dentists in Saudi Arabia

“…Although SM usage has to be encouraged; some boundaries and guidelines are needed; misuse represents a significant risk to the individuals using or in charge of monitoring SM use in the clinical practice. Clear policies, limitations, and aspects of service should be available for dental personnel to reduce the risks [34][35][36][37].…”

Assessing the use of social media in physician assistant education

“…Several articles have suggested potential professionalism issues with social media, including inappropriate posts or photos depicting unprofessional or potentially illegal activities 23 - 25 . Examples of unprofessional posts include disclosure of identifiable patient information in photos and radiographs or images of intoxicated colleagues 23 , 25 . Some of these cases have resulted in disciplinary action.…”

Barriers to Utilizing Social Media Platforms in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs

“…The concerns regarding professionalism and the use of SoMe have been well studied with many proposed guidelines for responsible use [19-22]. In one survey of EM residents and faculty, it was shown that high-risk professionalism events related to SoMe use are common within training programs which may explain why some programs are reluctant to encourage SoMe use for educational purposes [23]. Such events may be avoidable by utilizing previously published guidance on implementation strategies and best practices from CORD working groups with particular attention to professionalism and privacy concerns [2-3].…”