REAL PHYSICIANS: MODERN MEDICAL ANACHRONISM | Mitchell Cohn, D.O. | LinkedIn

The first article I saw, today, was “Find your social media voice. Patients are listening.” It admonished physicians to ‘get out there’ and get online. Participate in social media. Patients are hungry for the truth – physicians’ knowledge.

Well, I do those things – but, I am very, very careful about what I say. I don’t want to “offend” anyone, including other doctors. Nor do I want to violate HIPAA laws. Who would have thought I would one day need to fear a giant set of laws when all I really needed was the common sense to not violate patient confidentiality.

I have begun to change my ways of interacting with the internet. Over the past few months, I have begun clearly speaking my mind. I hope I offend someone. I hope I make people – doctors and those who are not – THINK. I will spread my political opinions whether you agree with them or not. I will spread my medical opinions, based on academic learning, practicing as a physician, and my experiences as a patient – whether everyone likes it or not – and whether it meets someone’s official definition of ‘evidence-based medicine’ or not.

Is THAT what you mean by ‘engaging’ in social media, Dr. Ting? I doubt it, but that’s what my experience has taught me: I can’t make a difference if I don’t make waves.

Source: REAL PHYSICIANS: MODERN MEDICAL ANACHRONISM | Mitchell Cohn, D.O. | LinkedIn