across the great divide: professional use of social media by canadian and u.s. physicians

Pat RichCanadian medical writer/editor@Pat_health

Across the Great DivideProfessional social media use by Canadian and US physicians: Lies, damn lies and statistics

Across the Great Divide

Final slide“While individual physicians are at different stages in their use of social media, it is a journey all physicians will eventually take. Social media is becoming so pervasive its importance as a channel to keep current on medical findings and to confer with colleagues is undeniable.”

Dr. Hartley Stern, CEO, Canadian Medical Protective Association (2014)

U.S. physicians

“Two-thirds of doctors are using social media for professional purposes”

Source: EMR Thoughts

Across the Great Divide

Canadian physicians• 2014• Validated survey• Backed by major

medical organizations• More than 10,000

respondents

Across the Great Divide

Canadian physicians using social media for professional purposes

Linked In or Facebook 8.5%YouTube or Flickr 5.1%Blog 4.5%Twitter 3.6%

Source: National Physician Survey 2014

Across the Great Divide

U.S. statistics

Why the great divide?Actual differences in behaviour

* Canadian doctors less progressive?* No need to use social media to market services in Canada

Vs.

Difference in survey methodologies* Professional use vs. Any use* Sample size

10

-“For those of us who have the philosophy that we want to graduate docs who are better than we are, Twitter is a great thing.”Dr. Chris Simpson, cardiologist and CMA Past-President

borreliosis