Does X still mark the spot for cardiologists? The risks and benefits of … – Cardiovascular Business

3 benefits for interventional cardiologists using X/Twitter

1. Outreach

Since X/Twitter is free and easily accessible through the internet, it enables virtual congregation of a diverse group of healthcare professionals, patients, and their caregivers spread throughout the world, the authors wrote.

Interventional cardiologists appear to be especially invested in using the platform. Rana et al. cited one study that found X/Twitter users who are interventional cardiologists are more likely to be well-known and influential than those in other related specialties.

2. Education

Interventional cardiology is constantly evolving, with state-of-the-art technologies and new care guidelines being introduced on a regular basis. Social media gives specialists an incredibly helpful tool for keeping up with the latest and greatest in the field, the authors explained.

Every month thousands of cardiovascular medicine articles are published in various cardiology journals spread throughout the world in several languages, they wrote. While this is the manifestation of the innovative spirit and scientific rigor of the cardiology community, it is not only difficult to access all these articles, but also almost impossible to read through even a fraction of them.

The use of specific hashtags#cardiology and #cardiotwitter, for exampleis one way social media users find one another on platforms such as X/Twitter. If someone has information to share, they can simply drop a relevant hashtag into their post and it instantly becomes part of a searchable database of content related to that topic.

3. Networking

Interventional cardiologists looking for work, collaborators or even funding opportunities can use X/Twitter to reach a large number of people who may be interested. Patients have also turned to the platform to improve their understanding of cardiovascular issues impacting their own lives or the lives of loved ones.

1. False information

As one might expect, giving social media users such a massive platform can have its downsides. One of the biggest issues is that it can be challenging to tell when information is and is not and accurate.

While published medical literature is always peer-reviewed and goes through the review process to get validated and approved, there is no such mechanism for medical information dissemination through social media, where several influencers tweet information hidden behind the cloak of a free speech platform, the authors wrote. Because of such (mis)information, some patients may refuse using medications or following medical advice that is based on rigorous research studies and careful approval processes such as well-known medications like statins. Similar disinformation is apparent around vaccinations as well which have led to significant morbidity and mortality as seen most recently in the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The oversimplification of information

Interventional cardiologistsand their patients, for that mattermust remember that social media platforms such asX/Twitter are not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Rana et al. emphasized that it is extremely difficult to provide comprehensive medical advice in a single social media post, introducing a risk that important facts may be left out of the conversation.

3. Cybersecurity concerns

Social media users always face a risk of being hacked and seeing their online presence be used for nefarious purposes. This, the authors explained, can quickly ruin a healthcare providers reputation and damage their career.

"X/Twitter is a powerful composite platform that delivers tremendous value to healthcare providers as well as healthcare consumers, the authors concluded. While any powerful tool can be used for progress and improvement, there is always a potential for deleterious effects and harmful use. A logical solution to this menace can be use of appropriate resources to monitor and fact-check information and its source, as much as possible.

Read the teams full evaluation here for even more risks and benefits.

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Does X still mark the spot for cardiologists? The risks and benefits of ... - Cardiovascular Business