Social Media in Medical Ethics
Ethical Challenges, Guidelines, and
Best Practices
Presented by: Ramasamy Viswajeeth
Introduction
• • Social media is widely used in healthcare for
communication, education, and networking.
• • Ethical challenges arise in areas such as
privacy, professionalism, and misinformation.
• • Guidelines help ensure responsible and
ethical social media use in medicine.
Importance of Social Media in
Healthcare
• • Enables quick sharing of medical knowledge
and public health updates.
• • Facilitates professional networking and peer
collaboration.
• • Increases patient engagement and health
awareness.
Ethical Issues in Social Media Use
• • Breach of patient confidentiality
• • Unprofessional behavior
• • Spread of misinformation
• • Blurred professional boundaries
• • Conflicts of interest
Patient Confidentiality & Privacy
• • Sharing patient information without consent
violates HIPAA & GDPR laws.
• • Even de-identified case discussions can
reveal patient identity.
• • Public posting of patient images or medical
records is unethical.
Professionalism & Online Conduct
• • Physicians should maintain a professional
online presence.
• • Avoid posting inappropriate content.
• • Do not engage in online arguments or
disrespectful behavior.
Doctor-Patient Boundaries
• • Avoid accepting patients as social media
friends.
• • Do not provide personal medical advice via
social media.
• • Use official communication channels for
medical discussions.
Misinformation & Fake Medical
News
• • False medical information spreads rapidly on
social media.
• • Examples: Anti-vaccine content, miracle
cures, misleading treatments.
• • Physicians should actively counter
misinformation with evidence-based facts.
Role of Healthcare Professionals in
Social Media
• • Educate the public using accurate medical
information.
• • Report or correct misinformation
respectfully.
• • Promote ethical and evidence-based medical
discussions.
Legal Considerations for Social
Media Use
• • HIPAA (USA), GDPR (Europe) regulate patient
data sharing.
• • Posting medical advice may have legal
consequences.
• • Physicians must be aware of their country’s
laws on social media use.
Guidelines for Ethical Social Media
Use
• • Do not share confidential patient
information.
• • Clearly separate personal and professional
online presence.
• • Ensure all medical content shared is accurate
and evidence-based.
Ethical Use of Medical Images
• • Obtain patient consent before sharing
medical images.
• • Blur identifiable features when necessary.
• • Use medical images strictly for educational
purposes.
Case Study: Patient Privacy
Violation
• • A nurse posted a patient's condition on
social media.
• • The hospital fired the nurse and faced legal
consequences.
• • Lesson: Never discuss patients online
without explicit consent.
Case Study: Misinformation in a
Pandemic
• • During COVID-19, false claims about
treatments spread widely.
• • Misinformation led to public confusion and
harm.
• • Healthcare professionals played a crucial
role in debunking myths.
Professional Networking in Social
Media
• • Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter connect
healthcare professionals.
• • Helps in research collaboration and
knowledge sharing.
• • Should be used responsibly to maintain
professionalism.
Social Media & Public Health
Campaigns
• • Used for vaccine awareness, disease
prevention, and public health alerts.
• • Example: WHO campaigns on social media
during outbreaks.
• • Ethical sharing of health information is
crucial.
Risks of Commercial Influence
• • Some doctors promote non-evidence-based
treatments for profit.
• • Physicians must disclose conflicts of interest.
• • Ethical marketing of medical products is
necessary.
Best Practices for Ethical Social
Media Use
• • Think before you post.
• • Verify medical facts before sharing.
• • Maintain professionalism and patient
confidentiality.
Summary & Key Takeaways
• • Social media is a powerful tool in healthcare.
• • Ethical concerns include privacy,
professionalism, and misinformation.
• • Following guidelines ensures responsible
use.
