Abstract
BackgroundSocial media and Internet technologies present several emerging and ill-explored issues for a modern healthcare workforce. One issue is patient-targeted Googling (PTG), which involves a healthcare professional using a social networking site (SNS) or publicly available search engine to find patient information online. The study’s aim was to address a deficit in data and knowledge regarding PTG, and to investigate medical student use of SNSs due to a close association with PTG.MethodThe authors surveyed final year medical students at the Otago Medical School, University of Otago in January 2016. A subset completed focus groups that were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes relating to students’ attitudes towards PTG, and reasons why they might engage in PTG.ResultsFifty-four students completed the survey (response rate = 65.1%), which showed that PTG was uncommon (n = 9, 16.7%). Attitudes were varied and context dependent. Most participants saw problems with PTG and favoured more explicit guidance on the issue (n = 29, 53.7%). SNS usage was high (n = 51, 94.4%); participants were concerned by the content of their SNS profiles and who they were connecting with online. Participants showing high SNS use were 1.83 times more likely to have conducted PTG than lower use groups.ConclusionsThe diverse attitudes uncovered in this study indicated that teaching or guidelines could be useful to healthcare professionals considering PTG. Though ethically problematic, PTG may be important to patient care and safety. The decision to conduct PTG should be made with consideration of ethical principles and the intended use of the information.
Highlights
Social media and Internet technologies present several emerging and ill-explored issues for a modern healthcare workforce
The diverse attitudes uncovered in this study indicated that teaching or guidelines could be useful to healthcare professionals considering patient-targeted Googling (PTG)
Recent studies show PTG is occurring among medical students and healthcare professionals in various countries [6–9], though no data exist for the New Zealand context
Summary
Social media and Internet technologies present several emerging and ill-explored issues for a modern healthcare workforce. Recent studies show PTG is occurring among medical students and healthcare professionals in various countries [6–9], though no data exist for the New Zealand context. The prevalence of PTG reported in other studies is relatively low, with one Canadian survey of physicians and medical students reporting a prevalence of 14% [9] These studies include several large surveys in countries with somewhat similar healthcare environments to that of New Zealand (Australia, Canada and the United States of America). Their study identifies problematic motivations for conducting PTG, curiosity, voyeurism and habit They discuss how the ubiquity of SNS and the Internet makes it easier to conduct PTG without due ethical consideration [4]
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