When social media was making its meteoric rise a decade ago, physician social media disasters were exhibit A for why you need to remain silent and stay offline. As a result, early social media training in hospitals was made up of endless strings of doctor-as-jackass screenshots intended to scare residents straight. But the idea of Twitter as a place where good ... Continue Reading about The Value of Physician Social Media Disasters
Bridging the Doctor Patient Divide to Improve Communication
One of my biggest challenges is bridging the doctor patient divide. It’s the gap that separates the way doctors and patients see a problem. What parents under my care think is typically different from what I think. Their concerns and fears are often removed from the reality of my thinking. That’s not a judgment, it’s a recognition of differences of how we frame and ... Continue Reading about Bridging the Doctor Patient Divide to Improve Communication
The Fate of Fired Cleveland Clinic Resident Lara Kollab
Cleveland Clinic resident Lara Kollab was terminated last week after a trail of anti-semitic social media posts were identified under her name. In a statement issued yesterday with her lawyer, she issued a formal apology. MedTwitter has reflected a variety sentiments about the case, some of which are sympathetic and suggest that she deserves a second chance. But ... Continue Reading about The Fate of Fired Cleveland Clinic Resident Lara Kollab
Physician Authority and Influence Online
When I look on Twitter here's how I see physician authority and influence: Authority - These are the true leaders in medicine with deep knowledge, experience and credibility in their domain. These are the leaders among physicians. The power hitters. And not necessarily academics. Influence - Those with lots of followers or influence as determined by social ... Continue Reading about Physician Authority and Influence Online
Don’t Look at the Internet
Don’t look at the internet. No matter how few doctors tell their patients this, we talk like it’s everyone. We love the story. It fulfills the narrative of the stereotypical controlling doctor. But don’t look at the internet is a hangover from the early days of the Information Age. It marked the transition from physician as sole arbiter of information to patient ... Continue Reading about Don’t Look at the Internet
Diagnosticians and Paper Towels
This Tweet from Dr. Zachary Berger about diagnosticians was one of the first things I saw this morning: I'll never get an award as a great diagnostician bc I'm not any better than any one else in catching the rare stuff. But I am good at history taking, and that's guaranteed to pick up half a dozen ignored common things. I'm like the guy at the party who ... Continue Reading about Diagnosticians and Paper Towels