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DIGITIAL ETHICS IN HEALTHCARE

Digital Ethics in Healthcare

Jacqueline M Power

The University of Alabama

CSM 447-912 Advanced Digital Tools

Dr. Amy Baggett

February 19, 2021

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DIGITIAL ETHICS IN HEALTHCARE

Introduction

In the modern world today, it could be said social media has taken over our lives. It has

quickly advanced to being the main source of communication as well as information sharing.

The main use of social media is to share opinions, post pictures and videos, react to others and

bond in a virtual setting. The use of social media in the workplace can be a tricky situation due to

the inability to remain anonymous. Workers, and their organizations, run the risk of their ideas

being perceived as representative of their company, not their individual opinions. This may have

significant consequences on the company’s reputation and lead to the firing of employees as we

have seen in recent protests and sharing political commentary. (Ruiz, 2020). Social networking

platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook each serve as productive sources for

healthcare professionals to interact with patients and future employers. The risks exist however,

that digital ethics may outweigh the potential benefits in healthcare due to the possibility of

disseminating unreliable information, violation of doctor-patient boundary, and damage their

overall professional reputation. The freedom the internet gives individuals can create bad

reputations of these companies and organizations, therefore policies and guidelines are set in

place to control these risks.

Current Issues

The internet provides a source of health information to those who need quick medical

advice, diagnosis or insight to what may be happening to them. WebMD, PubMed, and

MedScape are a few sites most visited by individuals without a medical background. The

freedom the internet allows results in inexperienced or unreliable authors to post and share this

medical information that in many cases is misleading or even false. Social media impacts the

speed at which this false information can be shared to the public on sites such as Twitter or
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Facebook. These sites have the ability to magnify false information for all to see, regardless of its

reliability. (Ventola, 2014). Opinions and information shared on these platforms can guide these

vulnerable social media users towards a different prognosis that isn’t necessarily built off of

reliable sources or doctor’s input. In worse cases, certain sites can lead patients to not seek care

due to the idea they can self-medicate with the help others influence on social media as they

share past histories or experiences.

Doctors develop relationships with their patients as they guide and help them back to

health. Depending on situation many patients spend time in conversation with their doctors at

their offices, virtual visits and even in hospitals. Through these conversations the patient begins

to trust and rely on their doctors. This may lead to a more friend-friend relationship and can get

healthcare professionals in trouble. The patients then desire to continue communication with

their doctors and physicians after they are back to health. A recent study proved that patients

often extend online friend requests to their physicians on Facebook. (Farnan, 2013). Physicians

can get themselves into trouble with avoiding their terms of agreements and privacy settings in

this degree. Doctors have also crossed boundaries when information on patient’s history is used

against them due to what has been found online. Social media can provide information to doctors

in a positive way as they can learn more about their patient, although this goes against personal

boundaries and is viewed unprofessional. (Farnan, 2013).

Healthcare professionals such as doctors and physicians are placed on a pedestal as they

are respected individuals and viewed as heroes to society. This reputation doctors have is one

that many work hard for and value, although social media has the ability to destroy that. A basic

account on social media provides a profile in which the individual can post pictures, videos, add

comments, share content, and list organizations or companies they are a part of. (Ventola, 2014).
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This gives off a first impression to other social media users, therefore these respected healthcare

professionals have to censor what they can and cannot post. One case in particular was made

public as a physician took digital photos during surgeries, posed with weapons and alcohol, and

posted tweets that were harmful to an individual. (Farnan, 2013). Not only are doctors already

employed required to censor their social media presence but those who are trying to get into

medical schools or become employed are held in a social media spotlight as well. Employers and

residency programs are known to now search Facebook and other popular networking sites

before they hire their applicants. (Chauhan, 2012). A recent Microsoft survey found that 79% of

employers view their applicant’s online sites, while only 7% of those applicants knew that was

the case. (MacMillan, 2013). Although, there are many benefits to social media in the healthcare

field such as professional networking, providing education, communicating promotions, and

encouraging worldwide programs; the risks outweigh these benefits as healthcare professionals

carry a spotlight.

Policies and Solutions

Regarding the current issues stated above there are many policies and guidelines set in

place to avoid the consequences that arise with these issues. The lack of reliable information on

the internet can be solved by more healthcare professionals guiding curious patients to peer

reviewed websites where they know the information is credible and accurate. The World Health

Organization is working to develop a new information web base that would provide validated

health information. This site would also be regulated and monitored as well as prioritized by

search engines such as google to lead internet searchers to the correct sites. (Ventola, 2014). The

less attraction to the wrong informational sites such as WebMD would lead to less harm and
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danger to patients all over. The encouragement of this site should be promoted as well by various

medically educated professionals.

In hopes of doctors violating boundaries with their patients many hospitals, companies

and organizations have set privacy settings and terms for the personal accounts of doctors. It is

known that in order to avoid crossing boundaries, doctors should read over their agreement upon

employment. The idea of creating a more professional relationship with patients resulted in

designing a website for posts regarding medical situations that the patient can interact with the

doctor through rather than communicating via social media. CaringBridge is a nonprofit website

created for this situation and has been rather successful since being created. (Peck, 2014). This

is the rather safe way to still care for a patient but in a much more professional way.

Viewing a patient on social media to gain more insight has been viewed unprofessional

and crosses boundaries as stated above. Although, reports have shown some benefits to this act,

for example a patient who is resisting help can be found on social media displaying posts with

their thoughts of suicide. This line crossed can save a life that needed mental help. (Farnan,

2013). The choices behind crossing the boundaries could cause no harm but the lack of trust

afterwards would lead the healthcare professional to unwanted consequences. Policies have

taught those under these circumstances to determine medically and use their professional

judgement to help the patient.

In order to avoid the overlapping friends, family and coworkers on social media health

care professionals have, they are encouraged to create separate accounts to protect their

professional image. Social media these days allow for account settings to be made private as they

can choose who can view as well as what can be shown. Many healthcare policy makers

encourage these privacy settings to be on. When signing an agreement for jobs this policy is
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clearly stated due to the advancement in social media. Health care professionals should also

periodically search their names and companies to ensure their reputation remains high and

valuable. (Peck, 2014).

Conclusion

Social media today provides endless opportunities and freedom to users in healthcare and

many to those who are not. Social media platforms are a great source of information to promote,

encourage and educate those surrounding them as well as communicate with those afar. In order

to protect health care professional’s careers and livelihoods, policies and easy solutions are set in

place to avoid consequences of access to unreliable information, possibility of violating doctor-

patient boundaries and damage to professional image. Years of experienced policy makers

determine these policies to save medical professionals from the easiest way to lose their job and

reputation, social media.

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References

Elejalde-Ruiz, A. (2020, June 16). Can you get fired for protesting? Or spouting off on social

media? Retrieved February 18, 2021, from https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-

biz-protests-employee-free-speech-rights-20200615-7p35qpxjrzelpikcle67g4nciu-

story.html

Farnan, J. M. (2013). Online Medical Professionalism: Patient and Public Relationships: Policy

Statement From the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical

Boards. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(8), 620. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-

8-201304160-00100

MacMillan, C. (2013, March 31). Social media revolution and blurring of professional

boundaries. Europe PMC. https://europepmc.org/article/med/23821819.

Peck, J. L. (2014). Social Media in Nursing Education: Responsible Integration for Meaningful

Use. Journal of Nursing Education, 53(3), 164–169. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-

20140219-03

Ventola, C. L. (2014, July). Social media and health care professionals: Benefits, risks, and best

practices. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103576/#b10-ptj3907491.