The emerging role of professional social media use in oncology

Sedrak, Mina S.; Dizon, Don S.; Anderson, Patricia F; Fisch, Michael J.; Graham, David L.; Katz, Matthew S.; Kesselheim, Jennifer C.; Miller, Robert S.; Thompson, Michael A.; Utengen, Audun; Attai, Deanna J.

doi:10.2217/fon-2017-0161

Cited by 35 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Oncologists and other cancer healthcare providers, including cancer nurses, are increasingly joining social media platforms for professional purposes, actively participating and sharing case studies and reports 12. As a result, this provides a key opportunity to allow users to connect directly to experts in the field and enrich their knowledge.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress Twitter analysis: from ethics to results through the understanding of communication and interaction flows

et al. 2020

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BackgroundTwitter is a microblogging service providing a platform for social networking. For medical information, Twitter is an interesting channel for sharing and spreading information and as an engagement platform for different stakeholders. Benefits and caveats of uncontrolled medical information must be carefully pondered, considering the possible intended and unintended adverse outcomes of uncontrolled influencing. The aim of this study was to describe the non-commercial content shared on Twitter and to analyse the level of influence of commercial tweeters during the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 annual meeting held in Munich.Design/methodologyA retrospective analysis of the tweets shared in the period 19–23 October 2018 indexed with the hashtag #ESMO18 or #ESMO2018 was performed; methodology of systematic reviews was mirrored. Commercial tweeters (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, device manufacturers and spam tweeters) were excluded from the primary analysis, and only non-commercial tweets from and about the congress were included. Tweets were analysed using a network analytical tool (NodeXL).ResultsA total of 7100 tweets posted by 1334 tweeters were identified for the period of interest. Less than 10% of tweeters were identified as commercial, posting 15.7% of tweets and receiving almost one-quarter of retweets. However, pharmaceutical and biotech tweeters were substantially less likely to be mentioned by other tweeters. All of the top 10 retweeters of non-commercial content were clinicians and/or professional organisations, in stark contrast with the commercial content.ConclusionsThe use of social networks in medical meetings, including oncology, is increasing for real-time communication and informed opinion-making. The uncontrolled spread of information on Twitter can both stimulate discussions on non-official and non-canonical channels of communication and provide uncontrolled influencing of diverse stakeholders. The disclosure of financial declarations of interest on Twitter could enhance the transparency of the information, as is already happening in medical journals.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress Twitter analysis: from ethics to results through the understanding of communication and interaction flows

et al. 2020

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“…By breaking out of the proverbial “echo chamber” and interacting with others who represent different backgrounds and viewpoints, Twitter can help broaden the worldview (and medical view) of each of us, freely. Many of us within COSMO started working together after meeting online through Twitter, brought together by shared interests [6]; [7]. Some of us have not yet met in person.…”

Section: Benefitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risks and benefits of Twitter use by hematologists/oncologists in the era of digital medicine

Attai

Anderson

Fisch³

et al. 2017

Seminars in Hematology

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Twitter use by physicians, including those in the hematology – oncology field, is increasing. This microblogging platform provides a means to communicate and collaborate on a global scale. For the oncology professional, an active Twitter presence provides opportunities for continuing medical education, patient engagement and education, personal branding, and reputation management. However, because Twitter is an open, public forum, potential risks such as patient privacy violations, personal information disclosures, professionalism lapses, and time management need to be considered and managed. The authors have summarized the benefits and risks of Twitter use by the hematology – oncology physician. In addition, strategies to maximize benefit and minimize risk are discussed, and resources for additional learning are provided.

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“…Within the field of oncology, Twitter has emerged as a predominant platform through which cancer information is publicized and propagated by healthcare professionals, survivors, community activists, and industry liaisons [4][5][6][7][8]. The novel opportunity for education and outreach through "social medicine" has led to various perspectives on how to best navigate and maximize Twitter as a communication tool for the practicing oncologist [9][10][11][12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Association of Academic Rank and Productivity with Metrics of Twitter Utilization Amongst Kidney Cancer Specialists

Salgia

Feng

Prajapati

et al. 2020

KCA

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BACKGROUND: Twitter has emerged as an important platform for conversation surrounding cancer-related topics. As use has proliferated, a better classification of physicians engaging in cancer discussions on Twitter is warranted. OBJECTIVES: To better characterize the medical specialists involved in disseminating kidney cancer information on social media through academic and Twitter metrics. METHODS: Clinical practitioners with an expertise in kidney cancer were identified. Demographics, metrics of academic rank and productivity, and Twitter usage data were collected. Correlations were calculated for the generation of a model predictive of the number of Twitter followers. Analysis of the experts' Twitter content was performed. RESULTS: Among 59 kidney cancer experts identified, 14 (23.7%) were assistant professors, 24 (40.7%) were associate professors, and 21 (35.6%) were full professors. A total of 5424 tweets were analyzed, 86% of which were medically-related. We identified several differences between academic rank and Twitter variables. Associate professors registered a greater median number of followers subscribed to their Twitter accounts (2360) versus assistant professors (1253) and full professors (934) (p = 0.03) and a greater median number of accounts they themselves followed (752 vs. 290 vs. 235, respectively; p = 0.0009). Use of a more generalized approach (ANCOVA) showed that the most predictive variables for the number of followers are number of tweets, H-index, and percentage of medical tweets (R 2 = 0.70). CONCLUSIONS: This study supported correlations between metrics of academic and Twitter activity. The generation of a model to predict the number of followers on Twitter is novel-future work will validate this in other disease types.

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The emerging role of professional social media use in oncology

Cited by 35 publications

References 21 publications

European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress Twitter analysis: from ethics to results through the understanding of communication and interaction flows

European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2018 Congress Twitter analysis: from ethics to results through the understanding of communication and interaction flows

Risks and benefits of Twitter use by hematologists/oncologists in the era of digital medicine

Examining the Association of Academic Rank and Productivity with Metrics of Twitter Utilization Amongst Kidney Cancer Specialists

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