SP11.4 Surgical images and Social Media - patient centred or just a search for “likes”?

Abstract Aims Social media platforms, such as Twitter, are an expanding space for education/interprofessional discussion. Guidance regarding doctors’ use of social media is available but much is left open to interpretation, unlike the stringent guidelines used for traditional media. Public social media postings are unpoliced and can go viral - with sometimes devastating fallout. We aimed to ascertain whether professional standards are adhered to when patient images are shared through Twitter. Methods Prospective review of Twitter posts with patient images. Outcomes: is there a statement of patient consent? Has confidentiality been maintained? Does the Tweet purpose justify the images included? Are professional standards maintained? Results 61 images were identified for review from 18/12/20 to 04/01/23. Most tweets were posted by consultant surgeons (74%). Only one image had a statement of patient consent despite 46% being deemed identifiable or potentially identifiable. Location was shared for 31% of the cases and the external patient was visible in 48% of Tweets. 15% were felt to contain unprofessional content. 53% images had educational value; 31% promoted the owner of the Tweet or their colleagues; 18% were identified as posted for general interest. Only half of the Tweets were felt to justify the use of patient images. Conclusions Patient images are being shared through Twitter without being kept to the same rigorous standards as through traditional media. This risks breaching patient confidentiality and undermining professional standards on which patient trust depends. There is a pressing need for robust guidelines to protect both patients and healthcare professionals.