Impact of social media on Gastroenterologists in the United States

Abstract

Social media or networking refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks [ 1 Social media. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media [accessed 08.08.13]. Google Scholar , 2 Farnan J.M. Snyder Sulmasy L. Worster B.K. et al. 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. 2013; 158: 620-627 Crossref PubMed Scopus (250) Google Scholar , 3 New AMA policy helps guide physicians’ use of social media. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/social-media-policy.page [accessed 15.08.13]. Google Scholar , 4 Belle J.M. Feld K.A. Feld A.D. Internet liability for Gastroenterologists: select issues from social networking to doctor rating sites. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2013; 11: 883-886 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (2) Google Scholar , 5 Prasad B. Social media, health care, and social networking. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 2013; 77: 492-495 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (37) Google Scholar ]. Social media depends on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share user-generated content. Several established global social media companies include Facebook®, Twitter®, and LinkedIn®. All major American academic gastroenterological and endoscopic societies currently have active Facebook pages (Table 1), including the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). In addition, their affiliated official publications host active Facebook pages and regularly release the “latest news,” blogs, and other content each month. In this study, we were interested in assessing if Gastroenterologists in the United States (US) are currently utilizing social media for healthcare-related activities and what attitudes they had toward social media in healthcare. An email containing and electronic invitation to participate in the survey study was sent to 6600 Gastroenterologists and 183 GI fellowship program directors (a hyperlinked survey website: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J52SPRP). A large percentage of emails to the individual Gastroenterologists were non-deliverable: 2791 (42.3%). 265 invitees completed the survey. Table 1Popularity status of major academic gastroenterological societies in the United States on Facebook® (website data accessed on August 8, 2013). Major GI societies in US Numbers of “likes” Affiliated official publications Numbers of “likes” American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) 4808 Gastroenterology & Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 6955 & 5541 American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 1073 American Journal of Gastroenterology N/A American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) 2669 Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 1975 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) 1401 Hepatology N/A The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 10,045 Surgical Endoscopy 25 Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 3433 N/A N/A: The Facebook® page was not available. Like: anything you want and share it with your friends on Facebook®. Open table in a new tab N/A: The Facebook® page was not available. Like: anything you want and share it with your friends on Facebook®.