Online social networking services have changed the way we interact as a society and offer many opportunities to improve the way we practice radiology and medicine in general. This article begins with an introduction to social networking. Next, the latest advances in online social networking are reviewed, and areas where radiologists and clinicians may benefit from these new tools are discussed. This article concludes with several steps that the interested reader can take to become more involved in online social networking.
Online social networking has become a cultural phenomenon in recent years. Although people have socially networked since prehistoric times, the recognition of this as a distinct activity (ie, sometimes mediated by computers and the Internet) is relatively new. Social networking service has been defined as “a platform to build social networks or social relations among people who, for example, share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections” . Social networking is the process of using such services to build and/or maintain social networks.
Many busy doctors may read about the latest advances in social networking and think that this is a hobby for people with more free time on their hands than a busy physician. This is understandable as it is hard to keep track of all the latest advances in online social networking, let alone find time to use them. Although physicians may find themselves with limited free time at their disposal, online social networking should be a key part of every physician’s professional practice.
There are several reasons why online social networking has become an important part of being a successful physician. Online social networking is an important aspect of networking for employment and allows radiologists to network with other physicians for clinical- and research-related interests. Online social networking may also be useful for radiologists to network with patients. As radiologists have less face-to-face contact with patients than physicians of many other specialties, online social networking platforms offer the potential for radiologists to present a virtual “Face of Radiology” for patients.
This article has several goals. The first is to review the role of online social networking and why it matters or should matter to radiologists. Next, this article will present the latest technical developments in online social networking and how they may be used by radiologists and discuss some barriers to implementation with suggested ways to overcome these barriers. Finally, a few simple steps radiologists can take to increase their involvement in online social networking will be presented.
Online social networking and why it matters (or should matter) to radiologists
Online social networking has become an increasingly common means by which people interact. As health care systems become ever larger, face-to-face conversations with colleagues are becoming fewer and further between. Online social networking offers an opportunity for the busy radiologist to stay socially connected even if one is networking with physicians across several different hospitals. To better understand why online social networking may play such a valuable role in contemporary professional networking, it is worthwhile to consider the role it plays in our society as a whole.
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Social nature of medicine and interpersonal interactions in the setting of new technology
Social Networking Theory
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Applications of Social Networking Theory to Radiology and Medicine
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Radiologists in training and posttraining
Education and Continuing Medical Education
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Professional Networking
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Social networking between radiologists and clinicians
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Social networking between radiologists and the general public
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Patient Education
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Consider the Following Scenario
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Consider this Clinical Scenario
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Marketing
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Presenting the “Face of Radiology” to the Public
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Social networking for research
Historic Model of Research Networking
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Research Interest Groups
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Networking Between Physicians
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Networking Between Physicians and Scientists/Engineers
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Barriers and strategies for success
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Familiarity with Computers, the Internet, and Online Social Networking
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Protection of Personal Privacy
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Protection of Patient Privacy
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Legal Obligations and Pitfalls
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So now that I am interested in online social networking, how do I get involved?
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Online Social Networking Services for Medicine and Radiology
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Sermo
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Doximity
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Ozmosis
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RadRounds
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Radiolopolis
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ResearchGate
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Conclusions
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