Social media initiatives have ‘revolutionized’ nephrology
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Social media initiatives sparking the increased use of Twitter have transformed nephrology by broadening communication and collaboration possibilities, according to a speaker at the Renal Physicians Association Annual Meeting.
During her virtual presentation, Diana Mahbod, MD, FASN, FNKF, of the Dallas Renal Group, emphasized how social media usage has surged in recent years, noting that less than 10% of adults in the United States reported using social media in the early 2000s; this has increased to more than 70% in 2019. Further, she said nearly 54% of the world’s population now utilizes social media, with reports from January 2021 showing 4.2 billion active social media users worldwide.
Attributing the overall growth of social media to smartphones (as these make it more affordable and accessible), Mahbod discussed the specific impact of social media on the nephrology community. She focused on two primary educational initiatives: NephMadness from 2013 and NephJC from 2014. Both of these, she said, leverage social media to provide educational materials and create a space for health care providers to share ideas and experiences. The former was created in partnership with the American Journal of Kidney Diseases Blog, she said, and explores “the latest and greatest” nephrology topics in blog posts; the latter is an online journal club that has expanded to include websites, visual abstracts and summaries, podcasts and information on how to optimize use of the nephrology online social media space.
The educational opportunities provided by these initiatives are substantial, according to Mahbod, and include the ability to tailor one’s Twitter feed to an area of interest (with topics ranging from urinalysis to advocacy), as well as providing a space to seek advice for specific challenges from nephrologists around the world. This is a change from having to physically go to another office or make a phone call, she contended, which allows for more efficient collaboration in patient care.
In addition to educational opportunities, Mahbod said social media allows for professional development and personal growth.
“Engagement helps to combat burnout and feelings of isolation,” she said. “It’s hard to overemphasize how [these initiatives] have revolutionized the field of nephrology and nephrology education.”
To reap the most benefits from Twitter, Mahbod recommends joining the conversation.
“Engage with anyone you find inspiring,” she said. “Twitter is a place to have conversations and to create a network and that’s why it’s so critical. It’s all about building the network and not only benefiting on a personal level but also on a professional level, opening doors to [a variety of] opportunities. By joining Twitter, each individual can use the platform for whatever brings value, personally and professionally.”
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Mahbod D. Effective use of Twitter. Presented at: RPA Annual Meeting. March 18-20 2021 (virtual meeting).
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