As digital natives enter the physician workforce, they bring with them social media views and approaches distinct to their generation. A study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research sought to understand millennial physicians' perceptions about social media and professionalism, as well as determine the effects social media policy training may have on the new generation of healthcare professionals.
Seventy residents from one hospital participated in a questionnaire regarding their personal use of social media and their perceptions on the appropriateness of using social media in the clinical setting.
Here are six key findings from the study.
1. More than half of respondents said they are "almost always" or "mostly" connected online, and 80 percent said they "don't worry at all" or "worry a little" about online privacy.
2. Nearly 3 in 10 respondents reported being familiar with the hospital's social media policy, and nearly 7 in 10 respondents reported receiving formal instruction on social media use in medical school.
3. Among who had received formal instruction on social media in medical school, 67 percent correctly answered a question regarding when it is permissible to interact with patients on social media, the answer being "never okay." Among those who had not received instruction on social media in medical school, just 35 percent answered the question correctly.
3. When it comes to colleague relationships on social media, 53 percent said it is "always okay" to interact with a physician colleague on social media, and 25 percent said it is "always okay" to accept a friend request from a nurse with whom there is a "fleeting" professional relationship and no social relationship. According to study authors, this type of interaction is discouraged by the hospital's best practices guidelines.
4. When asked about the appropriateness of logging onto a personal social media account while at a patient's bedside, 27 percent of respondents said "it depends." The hospital's social media policy prohibits doing so.
5. "Millennial healthcare providers appear to have a relaxed stance toward interprofessional digital networking and may not recognize the potential ramifications of blurring their identities online," the authors wrote. "This suggests an opportunity to inform and counsel during medical school and/or during the transition into clinical practice."
6. The authors note a positive effect between social media instruction and residents' familiarity with social media policy. "Although the impact upon online conduct of these participants is unknown, improved knowledge and awareness on this topic is desirable," they wrote.
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