Family physician Dike Drummond is not a fan of social media in healthcare, at least when it comes to busy physicians trying to cram just one more process into their schedules. In a recent blog post by Drummond picked up by KevinMD.com, he says social media not only offers zero return on investment, but it also only will serve to eventually cause further burn out.
"I can tell you from direct experience that each site has its own learning curve, technology and culture," Drummond writes. "Facebook is very different from Twitter or Pinterest, and any one of them can be overwhelming to an already busy physician."
Drummond's stance differs greatly from what many in the industry are saying. For instance, Farris Timimi, M.D., medical director for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media, calls the use of such tools by providers a "moral obligation." In addition, orthopaedic surgeon Howard Luks says establishing a digital footprint is vital for providers.
"To ignore the intersection of healthcare and social media is to ignore your own potential relevance as a healthcare practitioner over the coming years," Luks writes in a blog post.
Drummond, though, ultimately feels social media is merely a fad that would be better classified as a "hobby" for doctors with a lot of spare time and who don't care about money.
"Remember, no one pays you to login and post on Facebook," he writes. "You would have to be posting something that actually causes more patients to come into the office where you can see them and charge for your services."
To learn more:
- read Drummond's post on KevinMD.com