• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Behavioral Health
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Patient Engagement
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
    • Social Determinants of Health
  • Digital Health
    • AI
    • Blockchain
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • M&A
  • Value-based Care
    • Accountable Care (ACOs)
    • Medicare Advantage
  • Life Sciences
  • Research

Rhode Island Medical Board Approves Physician Social Media Guidelines

by Jasmine Pennic 10/25/2013 Leave a Comment

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

This week, Rhode Island’s medical licensing board has approved guidelines for the appropriate use of social media by physicians, iHealthBeat reports. The guidelines state that physicians will be held personally and professionally accountable for any material they post on social media platforms (Krapf, ABC6 News, 10/23).

Key goals of the guidelines are to encourage physicians who use social media to protect themselves from the potential risks associated social media and ensure public trust by:

  • Protecting the privacy and confidentiality of their patients
  • Avoiding requests for online medical advice
  • Acting with professionalism
  • Being forthcoming about their employment, credentials and conflicts of interest
  • Being aware that information they post online may be available to anyone, and could be misconstrued

Appropriate Physician-Patient Relationship

The relationship between a physician and patient begins when an individual seeks assistance from a physician for a health-related matter, and the physician agrees to undertake diagnosis and treatment of the patient, according to the guidelines.

Examples where unintended consequences of physicians’ use of social media and social networking may undermine a proper physician-patient relationship and the public trust include:

  • A patient noted disrespectful language on a physician’s blog when the physician expressed frustration towards another patient who had to visit the emergency department multiple times for failing to monitor  her sugar levels. The physician referred to the patient as “lazy” and “ignorant” on their blog.
  • A concerned patient notes that her physician frequently describes “partying” on his Facebook page, which is accompanied by images of himself intoxicated. The patient begins to question whether her physician is sober and prepared to treat her when she has early morning doctor’s appointments.

Background

In a 2010 survey of Executive Directors at state medical boards in the United States, 92 percent indicated that violations of online professionalism were reported in their jurisdiction. These violations included Internet use for inappropriate contact with patients (69 percent), inappropriate prescribing (63 percent), and misrepresentation of credentials or clinical outcomes (60 percent). In response to these violations, 71 percent of boards held formal disciplinary proceedings and 40 percent issued informal warnings. percent), suspension (29 percent), or revocation (21 percent) of licensure.

For more information:

  • Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Social Media and Social Networking in Medical Practice (PDF)

Featured image credit: Jason A. Howie via cc

  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Print

Tap Native

Get in-depth healthcare technology analysis and commentary delivered straight to your email weekly

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to HIT Consultant

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly.

Submit a Tip or Pitch

Featured Insights

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

2025 EMR Software Pricing Guide

Featured Interview

Paradigm Shift in Diabetes Care with Studio Clinics: Q&A with Reach7 Founder Chun Yong

Most-Read

Omada Health Launches "Nutritional Intelligence" with AI Agent OmadaSpark

Omada Health Soars in NASDAQ Debut, Signaling Digital Health IPO Rebound

Medtronic to Separate Diabetes Business into New Standalone Company

Medtronic to Separate Diabetes Business into New Standalone Company

White House, IBM Partner to Fight COVID-19 Using Supercomputers

HHS Sets Pricing Targets for Trump’s EO on Most-Favored-Nation Drug Pricing

23andMe to Mine Genetic Data for Drug Discovery

Regeneron to Acquire Key 23andMe Assets for $256M, Pledges Continuity of Consumer Genome Services

CureIS Healthcare Sues Epic: Alleges Anti-Competitive Practices & Trade Secret Theft

The Evolving Role of Physician Advisors: Bridging the Gap Between Clinicians and Administrators

The Evolving Physician Advisor: From UM to Value-Based Care & AI

UnitedHealth Group Names Stephen Hemsley CEO as Andrew Witty Steps Down

UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty Steps Down, Stephen Hemsley Returns as CEO

Omada Health Files for IPO

Omada Health Files for IPO

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Launches "CloseKnit" Virtual-First Primary Care Option

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Launches “CloseKnit” Virtual-First Primary Care Option

Osteoboost Launches First FDA-Cleared Prescription Wearable Nationwide to Combat Low Bone Density

Osteoboost Launches First FDA-Cleared Prescription Wearable Nationwide to Combat Low Bone Density

Secondary Sidebar

Footer

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Reprints and Permissions
  • Submit An Op-Ed
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Editorial Coverage

  • Opinion
  • Health IT
    • Care Coordination
    • EMR/EHR
    • Interoperability
    • Population Health Management
    • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Digital Health
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Blockchain Tech
    • Precision Medicine
    • Telehealth
    • Wearables
  • Startups
  • Value-Based Care
    • Accountable Care
    • Medicare Advantage

Connect

Subscribe to HIT Consultant Media

Latest insightful articles delivered straight to your inbox weekly

Copyright © 2025. HIT Consultant Media. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy |