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Social media in medicine: at what price?
Social media has become the new buzz in many businesses, which see it as an avenue for increased revenue. People trust their own social circle and friends, and if one of them makes a sincere recommendation in support of a product, an event, a business or even a surgeon, it carries a lot of weight. But the key here is a sincere recommendation — not a recommendation that a friend may be making in return for monetary compensation.
There are many businesses that extend discounts to customers who “like” them on Facebook, rave about them on Yelp or post messages supporting them on Twitter. But I think that medicine is different and that patient reviews online should be sincere and not influenced by monetary gain. A quick Google search will show that while review sites frown on the pay-for-review model, it certainly exists in many medical markets and in multiple specialties, including ophthalmology.
Some practices ask patients to post messages in support of the surgeon, replete with photos of the patient smiling with the surgeon, on Facebook, Yelp and Twitter within days of their surgery. For these posts, as long as they were made in a timely manner and in accordance with the agreement, the patients are extended a substantial discount for their surgery. Should they refuse to comply, they are charged the full surgery fee.
Is this a true reflection of the patients’ opinions, or are they being unduly influenced by financial gain? And what about the friends of these patients who read these “reviews” without knowing about the behind-the-scenes monetary deals?