Pharmacists Can Use Social Media for Professional, Educational Advancement

While social media use has increased exponentially among everyday individuals, it too has revealed its value in advancing careers and education more conveniently to the benefit of community pharmacists. Because of its inherent ability to connect individuals across industries and markets, social media has been a helpful resource for pharmacists, pharmacies, and all health care destinations looking to promote their care offerings.

When it comes to social media use in a professional setting, due diligence is much more crucial than individuals using it for personal reasons—which also can come with its share of potential harms. However, despite the apparent harms often portrayed in the media about using social platforms, the benefits are significant as well—as long as users approach them appropriately.

“If you're going to use it in a professional area, you want to make sure that not only are you using professional judgment, but you are using evidence-based guidelines,” Jennifer Flynn, CPHRM, vice president of health care risk management at the Healthcare Provider Service Organization (HPSO) and manager of health care risk management at Aon, told Drug Topics. “You're being careful with your tone that you're using and the words that you're using to get your point across.”

Flynn joined Drug Topics for part 3 of our interview series to discuss the benefits of pharmacists using social media. While some pharmacists have used it to bring awareness to the ideas they are passionate about, others have used it to promote their skills and abilities, further advancing their medical careers.

Learn from Flynn on how pharmacists can better leverage social media in both their personal and professional lives while simultaneously avoiding risks and repercussions.

READ MORE: Technology & Data Resource Center

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