Proper use of social media by health operators in the pediatric oncohematological setting: Consensus statement from the Italian Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Association (AIEOP)

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2018 May;65(5):e26958. doi: 10.1002/pbc.26958. Epub 2018 Jan 9.

Abstract

Social media are powerful means of communication that can also have an important role in the healthcare sector. They are sometimes seen with diffidence in the healthcare setting, partly because they risk blurring professional boundaries. This issue is particularly relevant to relations between caregivers and adolescent patients. The Italian Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Association created a multidisciplinary working group to develop some shared recommendations on this issue. After reviewing the literature, the working group prepared a consensus statement in an effort to suggest an analytical approach rather than restrictive rules.

Keywords: adolescents; communication; pediatric oncology; professional boundaries; recommendations; social media.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Consensus
  • Delivery of Health Care / standards*
  • Health Personnel*
  • Hematology*
  • Humans
  • Medical Oncology*
  • Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Social Media / standards*