Managing Your Own Online Profile

One way physicians can avoid dealing with a negative fallout of misinformation is by periodically performing a self-audit to assess the accuracy of online information about themselves. Checking your own online profile can be enlightening. There are a number of consumer-facing sites that provide the public information about you—your education, training, any legal cases, and ratings (eg, Healthgrades, WebMD, Yelp, US News & World Report, etc.).

Negative online reviews can be stressful. Difficult as it sounds, ignoring them is often the correct strategy, as they represent a minority (hopefully) of postings. Realize that the simple act of refuting inaccuracies in patient posts runs the risk of a HIPPA violation. Remember that a posted opinion is just that—an opinion. As hard as it may be, it is better to let the unhappy person vent than to lose sleep or become embroiled in a dispute that might then escalate and become a legal issue.

Final Reminders

1. Be ethical.
2. Keep your professional and personal internet accounts as separate as possible (and always professional).
3. Avoid giving medical advice electronically unless a patient-physician relationship exists.
4. Periodically monitor your online profile.
5. Be aware that anything you post follows you and can affect your future professional life.

Dr. Hughes is an emergency physician in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas and a member of the ACEP Well-Being Committee.

Dr. Robertson is assistant professor in the department of emergency medicine at Emory University in Atlanta and a member of the ACEP Well-Being Committee.

Reference

1. Shore R, Halsey J, Shah K, et al. Report of the AMA Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs: professionalism in the use of social media. J Clin Ethics. 2011;22(2):165-172.