Social Media and Professional Conduct (SMART): Best Practice Guidelines from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN)

Authors

Mehul J. Desai, International Spine, Pain & Performance Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Nasir Khatri, University of Kansas, Department of Anesthesiology, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Jonathan M. Hagedorn, iSpine Pain Physicians, Maple Grove, MN, USA.
Natalie Strand, Mayo Clinic, Division of Pain Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Ryan S. D'Souza, Mayo Clinic, Department of Anesthesiology, Rochester, MN, USA.
Vinicius Tieppo Francio, University of Kansas, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA.
Alaa Abd-Elsayed, University of Wisconsin, Department of Anesthesiology, Madison, WI, USA.
David W. Lee, Fullerton Orthopedic Surgery Medical Group, Fullerton, CA, USA.
Erika Petersen, University of Arkansas, Department of Neurosurgery, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Johnathan H. Goree, University of Arkansas, Department of Anesthesiology, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Jacqueline S. Weisbein, Interventional Pain Management, Napa Valley Orthopaedic Medical Group, Napa, CA, USA.
Timothy R. Deer, Spine & Nerve Centers of the Virginias, Charleston, WV, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Journal

Journal of pain research

Volume

15

DOI

10.2147/JPR.S366978

Keywords

Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn; Twitter; best practices; ethics; professionalism; social media

Abstract

Social media has revolutionized internet communication and become ubiquitous in modern life. Though it originated as a medium for friendship, social media has evolved into an ideal venue for professional networking, scientific exchange, and brand building. As such, it is a powerful tool with which interventional pain physicians should become familiar. However, given the permanence and visibility of online posts, it is prudent for interventional pain physicians to utilize social media in a manner that is consistent with the ethical and professionalism standards to which they are held by their patients, employers, peers, and state medical boards. While there are extensive publications of professional codes of conduct by medical societies, there is a paucity of literature regarding social media best practices guidelines. Further, to date there have been no social media best practices recommendations specific to interventional pain medicine physicians. While not exhaustive, the aim of this document is to provide recommendations to pain physicians on how to maintain an effective professional and ethical online presence. Specifically, we provide guidance on online persona and professional image, patient-physician interactions online, patient privacy, industry relations, patient education, and brand building.

APA Citation

Desai, Mehul J.; Khatri, Nasir; Hagedorn, Jonathan M.; Strand, Natalie; D'Souza, Ryan S.; Tieppo Francio, Vinicius; Abd-Elsayed, Alaa; Lee, David W.; Petersen, Erika; Goree, Johnathan H.; Weisbein, Jacqueline S.; and Deer, Timothy R., "Social Media and Professional Conduct (SMART): Best Practice Guidelines from the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN)" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 1123.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/1123

Department

Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine