Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health selected Austin Chiang, MD, to serve as chief medical social media officer, a newly created role.
Here are five points:
1. Dr. Chiang is director of the endoscopic bariatric program at Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University Hospital as well as an assistant professor of medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.
2. He has a noteworthy social media presence, urging the use of social media as a means to educate patients, raise awareness and increase gastrointestinal-related outreach.
3. He founded #VerifyHealthcare, a healthcare transparency initiative.
4. Dr. Chiang has also been published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology discussing social media best practices and benefits for healthcare professionals.
5. In this new role, Dr. Chiang will serve as a liaison between clinicians, medical students and residents, educating them on the effective use of social media as well as furthering the reach of key organizational messages online.
"Social media has established itself as important forum to discuss health and medicine, but it has also become an important tool to promote and influence public health," said Dr. Chiang. "My hope is to encourage and optimize health professional's social media engagement. Without the professional voice on social media, untrained individuals can disseminate inaccurate, and at times harmful, health information."