In a recent study on patient engagement, the majority of patients want to utilize Facebook and other online resources to correspond with their physicians, according to the Huffington Post.
Here are five things to note:
1. Many medical providers give confidentiality and professional boundaries as reasons preventing them from using Facebook or other online resources to connect with patients.
2. Of the respondents, 57 percent of patients stated they were very interested in using Facebook and email to correspond with physicians to manage their health.
3. Young adults, caregivers, patients with chronic conditions and regular Facebook users were more likely to communicate with physicians over email and Facebook.
4. A majority of physicians recognize this trend and have electronic systems for messaging, accessing test results and personal information as well as health tracking.
5. Although the resources are available, many patients are not aware of the services due to a lack of publicity and education. A dialogue must be facilitated between patients and physicians about online communication.
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