Staying safe on social media

Social media can be a very powerful tool for medical professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated just how useful the rapid sharing of information and experiences across the world can be in the face of a novel disease. As the use of social media platforms increases, however, so do the associated risks for doctors, especially where privacy is concerned and when  professional and personal boundaries become blurred. This article provides tips for doctors to keep their career and reputation safe on social media based on  Medical Protection’s experience in handling relevant cases.

Medical professionals' use of social media can be helpful or enjoyable in aspects such as connecting with peers, engaging with stakeholders, learning, and understanding perspectives and issues faced by patients and the public. Given this, it is not uncommon for healthcare professionals to have profiles on various platforms, and to communicate with others on public applications or messaging services. However, it is important to note that as the use of social media increases, so do the associated risks for doctors.

By their very nature, social media platforms represent a setting where professional and personal boundaries can be easily blurred. It is therefore crucial to keep in mind that doctors are still bound by their professional obligations as outlined in the Medical Council of Hong Kong (HKMC) Code of Professional Conduct while navigating social media. This means that expectations around doctors’ professionalism are the same on social media as outside of it.

As the world’s leading medical defence organization which protects and supports the interests of more than 300,000 healthcare professionals, Medical Protection has been involved in many cases involving social media, particularly HKMC investigations.

Based on this experience, here are five tips for keeping your career and reputation safe on social media:

1. Consider privacy settings and permanency. Think about who has access to your profile and posts. Even if you are in a private or closed group, do not forget that your messages could be read and shared by others more widely.
2. Remain professional in your communication. Consider how your behaviour may appear to others if it was made public (or shown to a patient, your employer or regulator), and how this may reflect on the medical profession as a whole.
3. Maintain professional boundaries. The doctor-patient relationship should remain a professional one at all times. Section 25 of the HKMC Code of Professional Conduct advises that doctors ‘should exercise special care and prudence in situations which could leave them open’ to allegations of taking advantage of a patient’s emotional dependency.
4. One of the duties of a physician outlined by the HKMC in the Code of Professional Conduct is to ‘respect a patient’s right to confidentiality’. In addition, the Hong Kong government has specifically advised Hospital Authority staff in the past that patient privacy must be protected, and clinical information or images must not be circulated on social media. Indeed, doctors must take care not to inadvertently breach their duty of confidentiality to patients. Even if no patient name is included ina clinical story, the details provided could mean that it is in fact identifiable if the patient or his/her family members can recognize who is being discussed.
5. There can be benefits to using social media through sharing, debating and learning about good clinical practice. However, be mindful that any advice you receive about a clinical situation should not be treated as definitive. Although it may lead to further exploration or discussion with peers and colleagues, it should not replace the usual discussions amongst colleagues in a professional setting.

While there are numerous risks associated with the use of social media, this should not prevent healthcare practitioners from making use of the opportunities that social media offer. The challenge facing healthcare practitioners is to be able to use social media responsibly and professionally, to be aware of and alert to the associated risks, and to manage their social media use in such a manner as to benefit from its advantages and minimize the medicolegal risk associated with inappropriate use.