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Social media and ophthalmologists: Possibility or problem?
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 Matteo Piovella |
The right information, contacts and personal connections are key points that every patient manages when seeking medical treatment.
In the new century, both patients’ and physicians’ habits have changed a lot in this specific field. Around the world, including in Europe, relationships between ophthalmologists and patients have been improving. They are becoming more like what could be described as the “American style.” More patients are directly involved in the decision-making process of their health with their physicians, seeking medical information online and from other sources, including social networks.
This change in the physician-patient relationship has been both important and positive. Yet we must continue to improve our relationship. We know that the real revolution that could help us with that has a simple and well-known name: the Internet. And with the Internet comes the latest possibility: social media.
From the Internet’s beginning, a multitude of information, inaccurate or accurate, positive or negative, effective or ineffective, has been available to anyone with an Internet connection. Many physicians do not like this easy access, and no one can plan anything now without considering the Internet’s presence and potentiality.
Generally, medicine in Europe still supports maintaining an appropriate and well-recognized barrier between physicians and patients that does not permit a relationship beyond the office. An ophthalmologist today is open-minded to spending more chair time with patients but wants an effective defense to protect his or her privacy outside the workplace. He or she is spending more time daily on the Internet for professional interest but is wary of appearing personally on a social network such as Facebook or Twitter for professional reasons. He or she knows that social networks are a revolutionary way to interact with people but thinks that this option should be used only in private life. They think that this could be risky to their professional standing and do not open a professional account on Facebook.
But then, slowly, the Internet and social media have begun to appear in physicians’ lives in new ways. They start to put their surgical videos on YouTube, because the viewership is fantastic, with the potential for thousands of viewers. After this experience, they are often more open to try professional social networks such as LinkedIn, because the first approach generally is supported by a colleague or a technical specialist from an eye company.
That is typically a physician’s experience, especially in Europe, but not in the U.S. The U.S. shows us that, day by day, Facebook mania finds new ways to attract interest and finalize positive goals. Now it seems that Facebook has sparked a revolution to support the interest of patients to be more interactive with physicians. It does seem to be a promising new opportunity. But in my opinion, in Europe and elsewhere, countries and physicians are different: Very few ophthalmologists seem to be considering the possibility of using professional social networks such as Facebook as a daily means of interacting with patients.
But this is not the final word. As has happened in the past, the U.S. is a leading country in new habits and experience. The rest of the world is sleeping with one eye open, ready to follow. Everyone knows that a revolution is happening and that this new digital age has introduced increased possibilities of relationships around the world, with the potential for new ways of interacting with our patients.
- Matteo Piovella, MD, can be reached at Centro Microchirurgia Ambulatoriale, Via Donizetti 24, 20052 Monza, Italy; +39-039-389498; fax: +39-039-2300964; email: piovella@piovella.com.
- Disclosure: No products or companies are mentioned that would require financial disclosure.