Society for Vascular Surgery best practice recommendations for use of social media

The use of social media (SoMe) in medicine has demonstrated the ability to advance networking among clinicians and other healthcare staff, disseminate research, increase access to up-to-date information, and inform and engage medical trainees and the public at-large. With increasing SoMe use by vascular surgeons and other vascular specialists, it is important to uphold core tenets of our commitment to our patients by protecting their privacy, encouraging appropriate consent and use of any patient-related imagery, and disclosing relevant conflicts of interest. Additionally, we recognize the potential for negative interactions online regarding differing opinions on optimal treatment options for patients. The Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) is committed to supporting appropriate and effective use of SoMe content that is honest, well-informed, and accurate. The Young Surgeons Committee of the SVS convened a diverse writing group of SVS members to help guide novice as well as veteran SoMe users on best practices for advancing medical knowledge-sharing in an online environment. These recommendations are presented here with the goal of elevating patient privacy and physician transparency, while also offering support and resources for infrequent SoMe users to increase their engagement with each other in new, virtual formats.

Automated summary

The use of social media in medicine has shown potential to improve networking among healthcare professionals, disseminate research, provide up-to-date information, and engage medical students and the public. It is important to uphold patient privacy, encourage appropriate consent and imagery use, disclose conflicts of interest, and prevent negative interactions online. The Society for Vascular Surgery is dedicated to promoting honest, well-informed, and accurate use of social media content in the medical field.