How Patients Are Using Social Media: What Every Healthcare Professional Should Know

Abstract

The numbers of social media platforms and users have increased rapidly in the past few years. With social media now at the forefront of our lives and accessible with the touch of a finger, patients are turning more frequently to social media with their healthcare questions and concerns instead of their provider. Healthcare professionals must understand how patients navigate social media and the risks and benefits the digital age provides. Social media can be used positively by patients to connect with others traversing difficult diagnoses, but also can pose a threat when misinformation is dispersed. Healthcare professionals need the tools to confidently affirm current trends, dispute medical misinformation, and even produce their own evidence-based content online.