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The Patient–Doctor Relationship and Online Social Networks: Results of a National Survey

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

The use of online social networks (OSNs) among physicians and physicians-in-training, the extent of patient–doctor interactions within OSNs, and attitudes among these groups toward use of OSNs is not well described.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the use of OSNs, patient interactions within OSNs, and attitudes toward OSNs among medical students (MS), resident physicians (RP), and practicing physicians (PP) in the United States.

DESIGN/SETTING

A random, stratified mail survey was sent to 1004 MS, 1004 RP, and 1004 PP between February and May 2010.

MEASUREMENTS

Percentage of respondents reporting OSN use, the nature and frequency of use; percentage of respondents reporting friend requests by patients or patients’ family members, frequency of these requests, and whether or not they were accepted; attitudes toward physician use of OSNs and online patient interactions.

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 16.0% (19.8% MS, 14.3% RP, 14.1% PP). 93.5% of MS, 79.4% of RP, and 41.6% of PP reported usage of OSNs. PP were more likely to report having visited the profile of a patient or patient’s family member (MS 2.3%, RP 3.9%, PP 15.5%), and were more likely to have received friend requests from patients or their family members (MS 1.2%, RP 7.8%, PP 34.5%). A majority did not think it ethically acceptable to interact with patients within OSNs for either social (68.3%) or patient-care (68.0%) reasons. Almost half of respondents (48.7%) were pessimistic about the potential for OSNs to improve patient–doctor communication, and a majority (79%) expressed concerns about maintaining patient confidentiality.

CONCLUSION

Personal OSN use among physicians and physicians-in-training mirrors that of the general population. Patient–doctor interactions take place within OSNs, and are more typically initiated by patients than by physicians or physicians-in-training. A majority of respondents view these online interactions as ethically problematic.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Methodist Health Foundation, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, and the IU Health Values Fund for their support and funding of this study. The authors would also like to thank Mrs. Amy Chamness-Douthit for her tireless work in coordinating the survey responses and data.

Conflicts of Interest

None Disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Gabriel T. Bosslet MD, MA, Alexia M. Torke MD, Susan E. Hickman PhD & Paul R. Helft MD

  2. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, Occupational and Sleep Medicine, Indiana University School Medicine, 1481 West 10th Street, 111P-IU, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Gabriel T. Bosslet MD, MA

  3. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Paul R. Helft MD

  4. Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Alexia M. Torke MD

  5. IU Center for Aging Research, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Alexia M. Torke MD

  6. Department of Medicine, Indiana University School Of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Gabriel T. Bosslet MD, MA, Alexia M. Torke MD & Paul R. Helft MD

  7. Department of Environments for Health, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Susan E. Hickman PhD

  8. Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Colin L. Terry MS

Authors
  1. Gabriel T. Bosslet MD, MA
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  2. Alexia M. Torke MD
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  3. Susan E. Hickman PhD
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  4. Colin L. Terry MS
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  5. Paul R. Helft MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriel T. Bosslet MD, MA.

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Bosslet, G.T., Torke, A.M., Hickman, S.E. et al. The Patient–Doctor Relationship and Online Social Networks: Results of a National Survey. J GEN INTERN MED 26, 1168–1174 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-011-1761-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-011-1761-2

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