With their broad reach across all demographic categories, social media platforms are connecting healthcare influencers and stakeholders across every area of activity in which one might hold a stake.
Of course, that’s a good thing and a bad thing.
In an Oct. 19 web post, the AMA outlines four ways individuals accessing or sharing health information can be a part of the solution rather than perpetuating any sort of problem.
Here’s a summary of the summaries.
1. Identify and address misinformation. “When information is presented on social media, fact-checking declines. This is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic in which misinformation runs rampant,” writes Sara Berg, an AMA senior writer.
“With any health intervention on social media, it is important to determine how to assess the success,” Berg adds. “This includes vetted health recommendations on the same platform as misinformation.”
2. Disseminate and evolve recommendations. “As more scientific evidence becomes available, guidelines are constantly evolving,” Berg point out. The problem is that social media are spotty about updating, for example, their preventative care offerings. “[P]ublic health implications can occur if recommendations are not displayed,” Berg writes.
3. Influence difficult-to-access populations. “A long-standing challenge for physicians and other health professionals has been accessing and influencing uninsured individuals and those without a primary care physician,” Berg notes. “This population is particularly vulnerable to poor health outcomes. [F]urther efforts are needed to better understand how to effectively deliver information online to these high-risk groups in a way that will influence behavior change.”
4. Advance a public health agenda. “Technology in healthcare has long been met with skepticism, which can allow for careful evaluation,” Berg comments. “To advance preventive health, partnerships can be created between researchers, health organizations and social media industry leaders. In doing so, this can inform how success is measured through engagement, outcomes and harm.”
Berg’s post is itself a synopsis of an opinion piece written by Raina Merchant, MD, of Penn Medicine and published earlier this year in JAMA.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.