“RadiologyInfo.org is a public information portal designed to support patient care and broaden public awareness of the essential role radiology plays in overall patient health care. Over the past 14 years, RadiologyInfo.org has evolved considerably to provide access to more than 220 mixed-media descriptions of tests, treatments, and diseases through a spectrum of mobile and desktop platforms, social media, and downloadable documents in both English and Spanish..”
Enhancing Public Access to Relevant and Valued Medical Information: Fresh Directions for RadiologyInfo.org.
Rubin GD, Krishnaraj A ,Mahesh M, Rajendran RR, Fishman EK
J Am Coll Radiol. 2017 May;14(5):697-702.

“RadiologyInfo provides a tangible demonstration of how radiologists can engage directly with the global public to educate them on the value of radiology in their health care and to allay concerns and dispel misconceptions. Regular self-assessment and responsive planning will ensure its continued growth and relevance.”
Enhancing Public Access to Relevant and Valued Medical Information: Fresh Directions for RadiologyInfo.org.
Rubin GD, Krishnaraj A ,Mahesh M, Rajendran RR, Fishman EK
J Am Coll Radiol. 2017 May;14(5):697-702.

Screening studies

• Virtual colonoscopy
• Low dose lung cancer screening
• Mammography

Patient safety initiatives

• Image Gently
• Image Wisely

Can we use social media to expand our clinical practices and our academic potential?

Purpose: “The goal of this study was to use patient reviews posted on Yelp.com, an online ratings website, to identify factors most commonly associated with positive versus negative patient perceptions of radiology imaging centers across the United States.”
Factors Influencing Patients’ Perspectives of Radiology Imaging Centers: Evaluation Using an Online Social Media Ratings
Doshi AM et al.
J Am Coll Radiol. 2016 Feb;13(2):210-6.

Methods: A total of 126 outpatient radiology centers from the 46 largest US cities were identified using Yelp.com; 1,009 patient reviews comprising 2,582 individual comments were evaluated. Comments were coded as pertaining to either the radiologist or other service items, and as expressing either a positive or negative opinion.
Factors Influencing Patients’ Perspectives of Radiology Imaging Centers: Evaluation Using an Online Social Media Ratings
Doshi AM et al.
J Am Coll Radiol. 2016 Feb;13(2):210-6.

“Conclusions: Patients’ perception of radiology imaging centers is largely shaped by aspects of service quality. Schedulers, receptionists, technologists, and billers heavily influence patient satisfaction in radiology. Thus, radiologists must promote a service-oriented culture throughout their practice.”
Factors Influencing Patients’ Perspectives of Radiology Imaging Centers: Evaluation Using an Online Social Media Ratings
Doshi AM et al.
J Am Coll Radiol. 2016 Feb;13(2):210-6.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess features of patient satisfaction scores for U.S. radiologists using a popular physician rating website.
CONCLUSION: Overall, most radiologists rated online by their patients score well, but reviews tended to be either strongly positive or negative. Scores across various categories are highly correlated, suggesting that there is a halo effect. Radiologists should recognize the effect of both facility- and radiologist-related factors in influencing patients' overall perceptions.
How Satisfied Are Patients With Their Radiologists? Assessment Using a National Patient Ratings Website.
Ginocchio LA, Duszak R Jr, Rosenkrantz AB
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2017 May;208(5):W178-W183

“Online social media provides a platform for women to share their experiences and reactions in undergoing mammography, including humor, positive reflections, and encouragement of others to undergo the examination. Social media thus warrants further evaluation as a potential tool to help foster greater adherence to screening guidelines.”
What Do Patients Tweet About Their Mammography Experience?
Rosenkrantz AB et al.
Acad Radiol. 2016 Nov;23(11):1367-1371.

“Identified themes included breast compression (24.4%), advising other patients to undergo screening (23.9%), recognition of the health importance of the examination (18.8%), the act of waiting (10.1%), relief regarding results (9.7%), reflection that the examination was not that bad (9.1%), generalized apprehension regarding the examination (8.2%), interactions with staff (8.0%), the gown (5.0%), examination costs or access (3.4%), offering or reaching out for online support from other patients (3.2%), perception of screening as a sign of aging (2.4%), and the waiting room or waiting room amenities (1.3%).”
What Do Patients Tweet About Their Mammography Experience?
Rosenkrantz AB et al.
Acad Radiol. 2016 Nov;23(11):1367-1371.

“Most U.S. radiologists lack self-controlled online content within the first page of Google search results. Opportunities exist for individual radiologists, radiology groups, academic departments, and professional societies to amend their online presence, control the content patients discover, and improve the visibility of the field at large.”
JOURNAL CLUB: Radiologists' Online Identities: What Patients Find When They Search Radiologists by Name.
Vijayasarathi A et al.
AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2016 Nov;207(5):952-958.

“The power of social media really lies in cultivating a sense of excitement in learning, which can inspire learners to engage in lifelong learning in a fun, interactive manner. Social media platforms provide students the opportunity to think critically about educational topics and enjoy learning, with the added value of collaborative engagement.”
Leveraging Social Media to Learn: A New Era for Medical Education
Zeba M, Awan OA.
Acad Radiol. 2023 Mar;30(3):565-566

“According to Dr John Dunloskey, a Professor of Psychology, the most effective learning strategies are practice testing and distributed practice. Practice testing involves participating in multiple assessment activities to reinforce learning, and distributed practice involves studying in multiple short sessions instead of one long session. These have been shown to be highly effective in improving comprehension, memory, and boosting students’ achievements. Combining the most effective learning strategies of practice testing and distributed practice with the most influential social media platforms can be a game changer in medical education and learning.”
Leveraging Social Media to Learn: A New Era for Medical Education
Zeba M, Awan OA.
Acad Radiol. 2023 Mar;30(3):565-566

“Many social media platforms, such as Twitter (San Francisco, CA) and Instagram (Menlo Park, CA), allow for practice testing through online interactive quizzes. Participating in social media-based quizzes and accessing instant feedback of high yield questions can make this type of learning highly productive. The element of play or gamification in these activities can have benefits beyond competition. Gaming increases engagement and interaction during learning. The instant feedback from questions plays a crucial role in learning, allowing learners to quickly understand concepts that have been mastered and those that need to be improved.”
Leveraging Social Media to Learn: A New Era for Medical Education
Zeba M, Awan OA.
Acad Radiol. 2023 Mar;30(3):565-566

“A learner can leverage social media to watch a YouTube (San Bruno, CA) video on a certain topic, and then view and learn a different topic by reviewing a case presentation on Twitter, all within a short period of time. This learning style also taps into the different methods of learning; namely auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. This learning strategy of distributed and interleaved practice provides real-world context to learning based on the needs and choices of the learner, as the student is picking what content to view or learn from.”
Leveraging Social Media to Learn: A New Era for Medical Education
Zeba M, Awan OA.
Acad Radiol. 2023 Mar;30(3):565-566

“In recent years, medical educators and learners are showing a positive trend toward the use of social media for educational purposes. For example, educators are supporting their own YouTube channels to share lectures and cases. Medical education social media influencers often share their day-to-day cases and educational pearls on Twitter, some of whom conduct quizzes and interact with the learners in the comment sections. International medical journals are also starting to share cases, quizzes, and podcasts on their social media platforms.”
Leveraging Social Media to Learn: A New Era for Medical Education
Zeba M, Awan OA.
Acad Radiol. 2023 Mar;30(3):565-566