This talk was originally delivered on October 1st at the American College of Surgeons annual conference - #ACSCC12 #ps114

1. Understanding the Meaningful Use of
Social Media by Surgeons
Presented by:
Brian S. McGowan, PhD
@briansmcgowan
www.SOCIALQI.com
*** Author of the forthcoming Fall 2012 release of: ***
#SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare
October 2012

2. Inconsistent Data of Docs ‘Using’ SoMe
Sermo 2010
Do you use ____ professionally?
2% Twitter 4%
Facebook
PeerView 2010 MCM 2010; unpublished

3. !!%*&^## Data of Docs Using SoMe
Sept.
2011

4. Question #1:
How can we better understand
the meaningful use of
social media by physicians?
@briansmcgowan
October 2012

5. Step One: Define ‘Social Media’
Internet-based applications which allow for the
creation and exchange of user-generated
content and includes services such as social
networking, professional online communities,
wikis, blogs, and microblogging.

6. Step Two: Define ‘Meaningful Use’
Hypothesis:
There are 3 ways that HCPs ‘use’ social media:
1. To practice – treating patients
2. To promote public health messaging (& promotion)
3. To learn – sharing of medical information/knowledge
Bucket 1 Bucket 2 Bucket 3

7. Methods
• Survey:
– Developed using theoretical framework, previous literature, and input
from advisory board. Surveys were pilot tested using cognitive
interview process prior to implementation
• Distribution:
– Surveys were distributed by email in March 2011 to a random selected
sample of US oncologists and primary care physicians.
• Target groups and sample size:
– US Oncologists (n=186) & US Primary Care Physicians (n=299)
• Response Rate:
– A sample of 491 responses were collected however 485 responses
were analyzed.
– Response rate = 27%
• This study was submitted and approved by IRBs at Western
and JHU
http://medicine20congress.blogspot.com/2011/08/physician-adoption-of-
social-media-for.html

8. Physician Adoption and Use of Social Media
to Share Medical Knowledge with Other Physicians
100%
90%
Unaware
80%
Will Never Use
70%
Current User
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Twitter
eMail
YouTube
Podcasting
Texting
Blogs
iTunes
LinkedIn
Wikis
Facebook
Communities
Mobile Apps
RSS Feeds
Doc-only

9. Question #2:
How can we better understand
‘why’ physicians use social media in
meaningful ways?
@briansmcgowan
October 2012

10. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 18% 49% 33%
Oncologists 22% 45% 33%
All respondents 20% 47% 33%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Waste of time Neutral Essential use of time

11. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 19% 49% 32%
Oncologists 23% 45% 33%
All respondents 21% 47% 32%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Risky Neutral Beneficial

12. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 18% 43% 39%
Oncologists 23% 45% 32%
All respondents 20% 44% 37%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Bad way to get info Neutral Good way to get info

13. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 17% 50% 32%
Oncologists 20% 52% 28%
All respondents 18% 51% 31%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Low quality Neutral High quality

14. Benefits of primary care physicians using social media
Using Social Media helps improve
the quality of my patient care 7% 8% 6% 17% 29% 22% 10%
Using Social Media enables me
to care for patients more effectively 6% 11% 5% 17% 28% 22% 10%
Using Social Media increases
my job productivity 7% 13% 11% 23% 19% 20% 6%
Using Social Media improves
my job performance 7% 9% 9% 20% 24% 23% 7%
Using Social Media enables me to
accomplish job tasks more effectively 6% 11% 8% 18% 26% 24% 7%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree

15. Ease of use - Primary Care Physicians
I find social media easy to use 4%13% 15% 21% 32% 12%
It was easy for me to become skillfull at using
6% 12% 14% 23% 30% 11%
social media
Learning to use social media was easy for
6%11% 14% 21% 31% 13%
me
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n = 299

16. Advancing the Community – Primary Care Physicians
When people share knowledge, the entire
7% 23% 39% 28%
professional community benefits
It’s important to help my professional
10% 29% 39% 19%
community succeed
I feel that it is important to help others to
16% 29% 36% 15%
advance the professional community
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

17. Social Norming – Primary Care Physicians
People in my profession who have an
influence on me encourage the use of social 8% 18% 13% 28% 16% 14%
media
People in my profession who are important to
me encourage the use of social media 18% 15% 23% 17% 15%
There is a critical mass of other physicians
that I can reach using social media 11% 13% 27% 23% 18%
There is a strong physician community that I
can access using social media 12% 13% 25% 21% 22%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

18. Innovativeness - Primary Care Physicians
I am dissatisfied with the existing ways to
access information related to my medical 8% 19% 21% 30% 12% 8%
expertise
I improved and developed new techniques
in my area of medical expertise 10% 16% 14% 23% 20% 14%
In my area of medical expertise, I am
8% 15% 12% 30% 17% 15%
regarded as being on the “cutting edge”
I usually find out about new social media
applications earlier than others 11% 17% 21% 25% 13% 9%
I actively seek new ways to use social
media in my practice 10% 19% 11% 22% 20% 15%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

19. Barriers – Primary Care Physicians
I prefer using traditional sources of medical
9% 15% 20% 20% 24% 10%
knowledge
I am concerned that using social media will
16% 14% 17% 27% 16% 7%
consume too much time once I get started
I don't have time to learn how to use social
5% 23% 18% 19% 22% 8% 5%
media for professional purposes
I am too busy to participate in social media 14% 15% 18% 25% 18% 8%
The systems required to participate in social
7% 25% 22% 21% 16% 7%
media are not readily available
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

20. Five Next Steps
1. Focus on the ‘big movable middle’
2. Better understand what fed the various
attitudes
3. Explore the barriers more meticulously
4. Objectively demonstrate the benefits of
bucket 3 use
5. Insist on rigorous data – build a science.

21. Understanding the Meaningful Use
of Social Media by Surgeons
Questions and Comments
Presented by:
Brian S. McGowan, PhD
@briansmcgowan
www.SOCIALQI.com
*** Author of the forthcoming Fall 2012 release of: ***
#SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare
October 2012