Social media for radiation oncologists: A practical primer

SummarySocial media is a powerful tool to exchange and disseminate knowledge. It can be used to enhance and share the value of our profession with a wider audience by creating an online presence, connecting to other healthcare professionals, sharing information with patients, keeping up to date on specific subjects, and facilitating virtual attendance at medical conferences. However, these new tools can be difficult to use, and a set of best practices is now available to physicians who wish to engage with patients or colleagues through social media. Medical ethics also apply to virtual communication. Guidance on creating and managing an online presence, sharing scientific or medical information, and creating honest and responsible content is provided in this article. Social media is a powerful tool to exchange and disseminate knowledge. It can be used to enhance and share the value of our profession with a wider audience by creating an online presence, connecting to other healthcare professionals, sharing information with patients, keeping up to date on specific subjects, and facilitating virtual attendance at medical conferences. However, these new tools can be difficult to use, and a set of best practices is now available to physicians who wish to engage with patients or colleagues through social media. Medical ethics also apply to virtual communication. Guidance on creating and managing an online presence, sharing scientific or medical information, and creating honest and responsible content is provided in this article.