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Docs, patients not using same social spaces

By InformationWeek  
   October 04, 2011

Physicians are using social media at a higher rate than the rest of the population, according to a new survey cited in American Medical News. But in their professional use of social media, they're still shying away from contact with their own patients or even with online patient communities. An August survey by the online physician learning collaborative QuantiaMD showed that 87% of physicians use social media. This finding is in line with the results of a Frost & Sullivan poll conducted between April and May, which indicated that 84% of doctors were using social media for personal purposes. A study published in August by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 65% of the general adult population used social media. Susan Giurleo,, a psychologist and consultant who blogs about social media at BizSavvy Therapist, has some other theories. Besides doctors' rapid adoption of mobile devices, which makes it easy to dip into Facebook or Twitter on their lunch breaks, they like to communicate with other physicians across the country and around the world. "It's a really good way to keep up with information and research," she said.

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