Presented at BDI's March 29th Meeting - http://bit.ly/GHB8UC

1. Factors Influencing the Adoption and Use of
Social Media by Physicians
Presented by:
Brian S. McGowan, PhD
@briansmcgowan
*** Author of the forthcoming fall 2012 release of: ***
#SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare
March 29th, 2012

2. Inconsistent Data of Docs ‘Using’ SoMe
Sermo 2010
Do you use ____ professionally?
2% Twitter 4%
Facebook
PeerView 2010 MCM 2010; unpublished

3. Misleading Data of Docs ‘Using’ SoMe
Do you ‘have a Facebook account’?
64% YES 36% NO
Have you ever ‘used’ Twitter?
20% YES 80% NO
Have you ever participated in an online health blog?
35% YES 65% NO
Do you ‘use’ YouTube? * ACS has a YouTube Channel
82% YES 18% NO
(n~300) American College of Surgeons 2010: http://bit.ly/e5PiaP

4. !!%*&^## Data of Docs Using SoMe
Sept.
2011

5. How comfortable are you
that you understand how
physicians are using social media?
@briansmcgowan
March 29th, 2012

6. Defining ‘Social Media’
Internet-based applications which allow for the
creation and exchange of user-generated
content and includes services such as social
networking, professional online communities,
wikis, blogs, and microblogging.

7. Defining ‘Meaningful Use’
Hypothesis:
There are 3 ways that HCPs ‘use’ social media:
1. To practice – treating patients
2. To promote public health messaging (& promotion)
3. To learn – sharing of medical information/knowledge
Bucket 1 Bucket 2 Bucket 3

8. Defining ‘Meaningful Use’
Bucket 1
Care
Bucket 2
Info
Bucket 3
Info

9. Defining ‘Sharing Medical Information’
• The exchange of information,
advice, ideas, reports and
scientific discoveries with Bucket 3
other in the medical
community.
• A focus on life-long learning
and practice improvement

10. Authors and Collaborators
Bryan Vartabedian, MD, FAAP
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine
Robert S. Miller, MD, FACP
Clinical Associate
Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at
Johns Hopkins
Oncology Medical Information Officer
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Molly Wasko, PhD
Associate Professor and Chair
University of Alabama at Birmingham
School of Business

11. Purpose of Study
• To identify factors associated with the
adoption and use of social media by
physicians to share medical information
• Utilized a theoretical framework to identify
factors and predict the adoption and use of
social media

12. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
Perceived
Usefulness
Behavior
Attitude Technology Use
External Factors Intention to Use
Perceived
Ease of Use
Davis, F. D. (1989), "Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of
information technology", MIS Quarterly 13(3): 319–340

13. Methods
• Survey:
– Developed using theoretical framework, previous literature, and input
from advisory board. Surveys were pilot tested using cognitive
interview process prior to implementation
• Distribution:
– Surveys were distributed by email in March 2011 to a random selected
sample of US oncologists and primary care physicians.
• Target groups and sample size:
– US Oncologists (n=186) & US Primary Care Physicians (n=299)
• Response Rate:
– A sample of 491 responses were collected however 485 responses
were analyzed.
– Response rate = 27%
• This study was submitted and approved by IRBs at Western
and JHU
http://medicine20congress.blogspot.com/2011/08/physician-adoption-of-
social-media-for.html

14. Survey Sample Demographics
Demographic Characteristics Oncology Primary Care
n = 186 n = 299
Degree MD/DO 100% 100%
Years since graduation from medical school
Mean/St. dev. 24 years/10 24 years/9
Percent Male 75% 72%
Patients seen per week
Mean/St.dev. 100 patients/56 124 patients/73
Practice Location Urban 47% 23%
Suburban 44% 60%
Rural 9% 17%
Practice Setting Solo Practice 12% 34%
Group Practice 68% 60%
Medical School 9% 1%
Non-Government Hospital 5% 3%
Major professional activity
Direct patient care 97% 98%

15. Physician Adoption and Use of Social Media
to Share Medical Knowledge with Other Physicians

16. Physician Adoption and Use of Social Media
to Share Medical Knowledge with Other Physicians
100%
90%
Unaware
80%
Will Never Use
70%
Current User
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Twitter
eMail
YouTube
Podcasting
Texting
Blogs
iTunes
LinkedIn
Wikis
Facebook
Communities
Mobile Apps
RSS Feeds
Doc-only

17. How comfortable are you
that you understand WHY
physicians are ‘using’ social media?
@briansmcgowan
March 29th, 2012

18. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 18% 49% 33%
Oncologists 22% 45% 33%
All respondents 20% 47% 33%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Waste of time Neutral Essential use of time

19. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 19% 49% 32%
Oncologists 23% 45% 33%
All respondents 21% 47% 32%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Risky Neutral Beneficial

20. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 14% 49% 38%
Oncologists 18% 50% 33%
All respondents 15% 49% 36%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Boring Neutral Engaging

21. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 18% 43% 39%
Oncologists 23% 45% 32%
All respondents 20% 44% 37%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Bad way to get info Neutral Good way to get info

22. Physician attitudes towards using social media
Primary Care Physicians 17% 50% 32%
Oncologists 20% 52% 28%
All respondents 18% 51% 31%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Low quality Neutral High quality

23. Benefits of primary care physicians using social media
Using Social Media helps improve
the quality of my patient care 7% 8% 6% 17% 29% 22% 10%
Using Social Media enables me
to care for patients more effectively 6% 11% 5% 17% 28% 22% 10%
Using Social Media increases
my job productivity 7% 13% 11% 23% 19% 20% 6%
Using Social Media improves
my job performance 7% 9% 9% 20% 24% 23% 7%
Using Social Media enables me to
accomplish job tasks more effectively 6% 11% 8% 18% 26% 24% 7%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree

24. Ease of use - Primary Care Physicians
I find social media easy to use 4%13% 15% 21% 32% 12%
It was easy for me to become skillfull at using
6% 12% 14% 23% 30% 11%
social media
Learning to use social media was easy for
6%11% 14% 21% 31% 13%
me
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n = 299

25. Advancing the Community – Primary Care Physicians
When people share knowledge, the entire
7% 23% 39% 28%
professional community benefits
It’s important to help my professional
10% 29% 39% 19%
community succeed
I feel that it is important to help others to
16% 29% 36% 15%
advance the professional community
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

26. Social Norming – Primary Care Physicians
People in my profession who have an
influence on me encourage the use of social 8% 18% 13% 28% 16% 14%
media
People in my profession who are important to
me encourage the use of social media 18% 15% 23% 17% 15%
There is a critical mass of other physicians
that I can reach using social media 11% 13% 27% 23% 18%
There is a strong physician community that I
can access using social media 12% 13% 25% 21% 22%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

27. Innovativeness - Primary Care Physicians
I am dissatisfied with the existing ways to
access information related to my medical 8% 19% 21% 30% 12% 8%
expertise
I improved and developed new techniques
in my area of medical expertise 10% 16% 14% 23% 20% 14%
In my area of medical expertise, I am
8% 15% 12% 30% 17% 15%
regarded as being on the “cutting edge”
I usually find out about new social media
applications earlier than others 11% 17% 21% 25% 13% 9%
I actively seek new ways to use social
media in my practice 10% 19% 11% 22% 20% 15%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

28. Barriers – Primary Care Physicians
I prefer using traditional sources of medical
9% 15% 20% 20% 24% 10%
knowledge
I am concerned that using social media will
16% 14% 17% 27% 16% 7%
consume too much time once I get started
I don't have time to learn how to use social
5% 23% 18% 19% 22% 8% 5%
media for professional purposes
I am too busy to participate in social media 14% 15% 18% 25% 18% 8%
The systems required to participate in social
7% 25% 22% 21% 16% 7%
media are not readily available
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Strongly Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree or Disagree Somewhat Agree Agree
Strongly Agree n= 299

29. Five Next Steps
1. Focus on the ‘big movable middle’
2. Better understand what fed the various
attitudes
3. Explore the barriers more meticulously
4. Objectively demonstrate the benefits of
bucket 3 use
5. Insist on this level (or higher) rigor of data!!

30. Factors Influencing the Adoption and Use of
Social Media by Physicians
Questions and Comments
@briansmcgowan
*** Author of the forthcoming fall 2012 release of: ***
#SOCIALQI: Simple Solutions for Improving Your Healthcare
March 29th, 2012