Social Media and the Ophthalmologist was presented at the Makati Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology Post Graduate Course: More than Meets the Eye: Ethics and Professionalism in Ophthalmology, August 2023, Makati Medical Center, Makati Metro Manila, Philippines

1. Social Media & the
Ophthalmologist
Alvina Pauline Dy Santiago, MD
August 26, 2023

2. Affiliations

3. Disclaimer
I am on Social Media
https://img.freepik.com/premium-vector/popular-social-media-icons_248162-157.jpg?w=2000

4. Outline
Birth of PAO Social Media Policy
How we should behave
How we should NOT behave
Harnessing Social Media

5. Birth of the PAO Social Media
Policy
•PAO Council 2018-2019
•Ethics Committee Chair
•PAO Code of Ethics for Physicians
Practicing Ophthalmology in the
Philippines
•PAO Code of Professional Conduct
•PMA Code of Ethics

6. PAO IRG 2012. Rule 3 Eye MD and Patients
•Section 5. Patient Solicitation; Unethical
Recruitment Activity.—(a) The EyeMD shall
refrain from soliciting patients through any
means or form or through any medium unless
otherwise permitted by this Code; neither
should he offer to or receive from a fellow
physician, EyeMD, allied health professional or
independent solicitor any fee(s) or favor(s) or
consideration(s) for the purpose of obtaining
patients.

7. PAO IRG 2012. Rule 7
Eye MD and Communication to Public
Section 3. Guidelines in the Execution of Communications to the
Public.—Communications to the public must strictly adhere to the
following criteria:
• They must be factual, informative, truthful and accurate;
• They must not make or contain misleading or deceptive claims or
statements;
• They must not misrepresent facts or information;
• They must not be laudatory;
• They must not make or contain any unsubstantiated, unsupported or
patently insupportable claims to superiority;
• They must not discredit, injure or be derogatory to any colleague or
a group of colleagues, or to the Academy, and
• They should not tend to, or have the effect of commercializing the
profession.

8. PAO IRG 2012. Rule 8
Eye MD and Financial Relationships
•Section 2. Conflict of Interest.—Any EyeMD who has
a non-professional interest in an enterprise related
to his practice shall not allow such interest to
prevail over or affect his clinical judgment.
•Section 3. Commercial Relationships.—Any EyeMD in
a commercial relationship with a hospital, eye
center, professional partnerships, managed-care
organizations or similar endeavors should remain
prudent of his obligations towards his patient and
his responsibilities to his profession.

9. • Dignity and nobility
• Professionalism
• Refrain from
commercial undertaking

11. PMA Code of Ethics 2009. Article III.
Duties … to Community
•Section 4. A physician shall not employ agents in the solicitation and
recruitment of patients. For the promotion of medical practice, a physician
may use professional cards, classified advertising, publications, internet,
directories and signboards. Signboards shall not exceed one by two (1x2)
meters in size. Except in internet web sites, only the name of the physician,
field of specialty, office hours or office or residential addresses may appear.
The act of the physician in publishing his or her personal superiority, special
certificates or diplomas, post graduate training, specific methods of
treatment, operative techniques or former connections with hospitals or
clinics is not allowed. However, these matters may be placed by a physician
within the confines of his clinic or residence. For internet web sites,
recognizing the right of a patient to know the capabilities and qualifications
of his doctor, special certificates or diplomas, post graduate training and
former connections with hospitals or clinics may be posted.

12. PMA Code of Ethics 2009.
Article II Section 5
• Section 5. A physician involved in multi-media must be well
informed of the matter under discussion. Only the name of the
physician and membership to a society or institution may be
mentioned or posted. A physician should only make a general
opinion and shall refrain from making a specific diagnosis,
therapy or projection to individual cases in his appearances in
the broadcast media. An article written by a physician must be
evidence-based and disclose connections with pharmaceutical
or health product companies. A physician shall not
commercially endorse any medical or health product.

13. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/htt
ps://www.philippinemedicalassociation.org/wp-content/upl
oads/2019/06/Code-of-Ethics-of-the-Medical-Profession-2019
-adopted-by-PMA-and-PRC.pdf

14. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www
.philippinemedicalassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Code-
of-Ethics-of-the-Medical-Profession-2019-adopted-by-PMA-and-PRC.pdf

15. Social Media
and
Medical
Professionalism

16. • https://employmentrightsireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/social-media-policy.jpg

17. Ad Hoc Committee:
Creating a Social Media
Policy for PAO
Naval CG, Santiago AP, Valero S

18. Composition
• Not Council
• Not Ethics Committee
• Nominated by Subspec Societies,
Training Institutions, Chapter
Societies
• 7 Consultants of Training
Institutions
• 5 Residents in Training
• 4 Representatives of Chapter
Societies
Non-PAO Members (n=10)
• 4 non-ophtha MD
• MD-JD
• PhD/IT Professor
• Medical Student: MD PhD
• Priest/Ethicist/ex med
student
• ICT Director/ ex med
student
• Marketing IT
PAO Members (n=16)

19. EyeMDs: (16)
7 consultants, 5 residents,
4 chapter society representatives
• Tirol MA, CSMC
• Rodriguez R, EAMC
• Santiago Y, SLMC
• Guevarra G, UERMMMC
• Perez C, PGH
• Fermin ML, OsMAK
• Soriano R, JBL
• Figueras M, CSMC
• Abaya RM, EAMC
• Briones LJ, UERMMMC
• Torrefranca A, PGH
• Lardizabal F, JBL
• Ocubillo M, CVSP
• Camonias D, NMSO
• Delos Santos P, Rizal
• Montes E, EVSO

20. Non-EyeMDs (10)
• Dr. Sison G, #HealthXPH,
CNN
• Dr. Baticulon R, NSS, IT,
Writer
• Jiz K (MD/JD) medicolegal,
anesth
• Dr. Lopez J, #HealthXPH,
Public Health
• Dr. Faraon E., UP Faculty,
Public Health, Health Policy
• Dr. Yu W., PhD,
IT Professor, Data Privacy
• De Villa J, ICT Director, UAP,
UP Med Stud Undergrad
• Enriquez AP, Marketing/IT
• Fr. Gaston G, Religious,
Ethicist, UP Med Stud
Undergrad
• Tantengco O, MD PhD Student

21. How we should behave

23. PAO Policy on Social Media
Practice,
Affiliation,
Research
Grievance
and
Complaints
Connecting
with
Patients
Posting and
Commenting
Tagging of
Doctors
Socmed logos from www.sendible.com

24. PAO Policy on Social Media
Practice,
Affiliation,
Research
Grievance
and
Complaints
Connecting
with
Patients
Posting and
Commenting
Tagging of
Doctors
Socmed logos from www.sendible.com

25. On posting about practice,
affiliation, research
https://www.chesapeakeeyecare.com/uploads/CEC-Welcome-Dr-Chang-Social-Post.png

26. PMA Code of Ethics. Article III.
Duties … to Community
•Section 4. A physician shall not employ agents in the solicitation and
recruitment of patients. For the promotion of medical practice, a
physician may use professional cards, classified advertising,
publications, internet, directories and signboards. Signboards shall not
exceed one by two (1x2) meters in size. Except in internet web sites,
only the name of the physician, field of specialty, office hours or office
or residential addresses may appear. The act of the physician in
publishing his or her personal superiority, special certificates or
diplomas, post graduate training, specific methods of treatment,
operative techniques or former connections with hospitals or clinics is
not allowed. However, these matters may be placed by a physician
within the confines of his clinic or residence. For internet web sites,
recognizing the right of a patient to know the capabilities and
qualifications of his doctor, special certificates or diplomas, post
graduate training and former connections with hospitals or clinics may
be posted.

27. PMA Code of Ethics, 2009, 2019

28. On posting about practice,
affiliation, research

29. On posting about practice,
affiliation, research
https://oculusresearch.com/presbyopia

30. On posting about practice,
affiliation, research
https://assets.secure.ownlocal.com/img/uploads/9926701/large_images.jpg?1552382341

31. On posting about practice,
affiliation, research
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cf/ac/ea/cfaceacbe8d35d7
75cb54b18b20d7f28.jpg

32. PAO Policy on Social Media
Practice,
Affiliation,
Research
Grievance
and
Complaints
Connecting
with
Patients
Posting and
Commenting
Tagging of
Doctors
Socmed logos from www.sendible.com

33. On posting
and commenting online
Do not engage!

34. On posting
and commenting online
55/M, farmer from Negros…

35. On posting
and commenting online
First Robotic Eye Surgery In Man
http://en.koreaportal.com/

36. On posting
and commenting online
https://www.thesun.ie/news/world-news/6201453/sexi
st-doctor-alive-blasted-for-partying-without-mask/

37. On posting
and commenting online
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/90beeae9-9
591-4a7d-adcb-8c1fe6d0c2e9/add14151-fig-0002-m.jpg

38. On posting
and commenting online
https://youtu.be/TeELFk1MEwY

39. On posting
and commenting online
• “I am a paid consultant by ABCD Company.”
• “I am the recipient of a grant by XYZ.”

40. On posting
and commenting online

41. PAO Policy on Social Media
Practice,
Affiliation,
Research
Grievance
and
Complaints
Connecting
with
Patients
Posting and
Commentin
g
Tagging of
Doctors
Socmed logos from www.sendible.com

42. Grievance and Complaints

43. Grievance and Complaints

44. PAO Policy on Social Media
Practice,
Affiliation,
Research
Grievance
and
Complaints
Connecting
with
Patients
Posting and
Commentin
g
Tagging of
Doctors
Socmed logos from www.sendible.com

46. How we should NOT behave

47. Hypothetical Case
(any similarity to real life situations not intended)
• I had my FLACS
procedure done and can
see better that I ever did
at the DOC P Eye Center.
•Come see me so you can
reach the same level of
vision
Solicitation
Advertising
Conflict of
interest
Endorsement
of a procedure

49. “footage shows the
moment doctors
held a New Year's
party in surgery
while a woman
screams in agony
as she gives birth.”
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8104167
/doctors-new-year-party-woman-labour-bi
rth/

50. Patient Shaming
Doctor posted
Other MDs joined

51. Called patient
names
Use of foul
language
Bragged about
MD degree https://youtu.be/QgpfNScEd3M?t=175

53. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/did-director-s
teven-spielberg-die/
https://www.wikiobits.com/Obits/Steven_Spielberg

54. Harnessing social media

55. Harnessing social media
•Educate
•Promote [health] advocacies
•Network
•Marketing
•Practice Management Advice
•Refer patients or Consult
about patients (online
opinion)

56. Harnessing social media
•Connect
•Casual talk
•Establish friendships
•Find a mate
•Digital Imprint
•Make your opinion or issues
known
•Search for a job

57. Socmed & MD: Professional Networking
https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/social-media-for-d
octors/

58. The “Professional” Social Media:
Educate

60. https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/social-media-for-doctors/
Data Privacy Act of 2012
• Sensitive Health
Information

61. Promote active lifestyle
• Posts daily
• Photos of his lifestyle—gym dog
• Promote healthy and active lifestyle
• Connect with patients

62. Dr. Don Dizon
Professor of medicine at Brown University,
Director of medical oncology at Rhode Island Hospital
•Videos on cancer
•Colorful ties
•Cancer research and other
health
•Pep Talk
•Inspiration

63. The “Professional” Social Media

65. Dr. Leslie
•“Daily Doctor Facts”
•Health education about anatomy, healthcare news,
and advice.
•Responds to users about patient-doctor
communication, healthcare trends, and news

66. Dr. Kevin
Pho
•social media’s leading physician voice.”
•stories from all aspects of the healthcare system.
•provides a space for doctors, nurses, medical
students, and policy experts to share their insights
and experiences.
•publishes articles on everything from physician
suicide to electronic health records to, of course,
social media tips for doctors

67. The “Professional” Social Media

68. The “Professional” Social Media

69. The “Professional” Social Media
•Clinic Announcements and
Appointments
•Name
•Specialty
•How to contact you or make an
appointment
•Scheduling

70. The “Professional” Social Media
•Online consults (?)
•Data Privacy Act
•Informed
•More “secure” platforms

71. The ”Professional” Social Media:
LinkedIn

72. PAO on Social Media

73. PAO on Social Media:
Eye Care / Mat

74. PSPOS on Social Media

76. Bikol Bisaya

77. PAO on Social Media

78. PAO EyeMDs (Official
Announcements)

79. PAO on Social Media

80. PAO Doctors

81. Conclusion
Digital footprint
Social media is public space
Uphold integrity of the Filipino EyeMD

82. https://www.healio.com/~/media/slack-news/fm_im/misc/infographics/2021/january/pc0121dizon_graphic_01.jpg?w=8

84. Social Media & the
Ophthalmologist
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