Online Medical Professionalism
Authors: Joy L. Lee, Albert W. Wu
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2013)

Letters16 July 2013Online Medical ProfessionalismJoy L. Lee, MS and Albert W. Wu, MD, MPHJoy L. Lee, MSFrom Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.Search for more papers by this author and Albert W. Wu, MD, MPHFrom Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-159-2-201307160-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Farnan and colleagues’ (1) recent policy statement on social media highlights the concerns surrounding physician–patient interactions through these media: maintaining professionalism, patient confidentiality, and public trust. We believe it also illustrates the difficulty of superimposing parameters on rapidly evolving technologies and social interactions. The statement emphasizes the importance of maintaining professional boundaries; however, such limitations are impractical on certain platforms, such as Twitter.This disconnect between regulation and practice is especially evident with regard to Position 2, which states that “Physicians should keep the [professional and social] spheres separate and comport themselves professionally in both,” adding that ...Reference1. Farnan JM, Snyder Sulmasy L, Worster BK, Chaudhry HJ, Rhyne JA, and Arora VM; American College of Physicians Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee. Online medical professionalism: patient and public relationships: policy statement from the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:620-7 LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Joy L. Lee, MS; Albert W. Wu, MD, MPHAffiliations: From Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.Disclosures: Ms. Lee: Grants/grants pending: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Dr. Wu: Grants (money to institution): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Board membership: Mapi Research Trust; Consultancy: Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Merck; Grants/grants pending (money to institution): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; Payment for lectures including service on speakers bureaus: multiple hospitals and medical schools; Royalties: Joint Commission. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoOnline Medical Professionalism: Patient and Public Relationships: Policy Statement From the American College of Physicians and the Federation of State Medical Boards Jeanne M. Farnan , Lois Snyder Sulmasy , Brooke K. Worster , Humayun J. Chaudhry , Janelle A. Rhyne , and Vineet M. Arora , for the American College of Physicians Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee, the American College of Physicians Council of Associates, the Federation of State Medical Boards Special Committee on Ethics and Professionalism* Online Medical Professionalism Jeanne M. Farnan , Lois Snyder Sulmasy , and Humayun Chaudhry Online Medical Professionalism Karen Devon and Sabha Ganai Metrics 16 July 2013Volume 159, Issue 2Page: 158KeywordsPatient advocacyPublic policyTaste ePublished: 16 July 2013 Issue Published: 16 July 2013 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2013 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...