JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

The role of social media platforms in professional communication has become increasingly important as healthcare providers use various social media platforms for education, networking, and information exchange. However, concerns regarding unprofessional behavior and misinformation persist. This study aimed to evaluate perceptions of professionalism among healthcare providers on X (formerly Twitter) using a novel and validated survey that was disseminated through the Allegheny Health Network Surgical Institute’s account. Among 80 respondents, most (73.3%, n=55) were based in the US. 42.5% (n=34) were medical students, 20.0% (n=16) were researchers, 17.5% (n=14) were trainees (resident/fellow), and 3.8% (n=3) identified as patient advocates. Overall, 42.5% (n=34) of the respondents reported occasional unprofessional activity, majority (76.3%, n=61) of the respondents reported witnessing false or misleading information, 78.8% (n=63) observed collegial disagreements, and nearly half (44.0%, n=33) reported a lack of institutional guidelines regarding professional social media use. It is important to promote professionalism on X through education, integration of social media professionalism into medical training, and platform specific regulations to ensure responsible use of social media platforms.