It seems like there is always a new social media platform popping up. It started with MySpace, and then popularity grew in apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, the newest app may be causing complications for medical personnel across the nation.
The newest app, TikTok, relates the most to teenagers and, surprisingly, healthcare professionals. According to CNN, healthcare-themed TikToks are going viral and could cause some unforeseen consequences for nurses or doctors hopping onto the app.
Eroding the public perception of medical staff
Healthcare TikToks range from a variety of medical topics, including STI prevention. However, some topics cause more controversy than others. For example, a user named Nurse Holly received criticism after posting a TikTok stating that abstinence is the best form of STI prevention.
There are also more issues with medical staff mocking patients’ symptoms or accusing patients of faking illnesses. These slip-ups from a medical professional on social media may establish a distrust among younger patients.
Dr. Matthew Burke, a neurologist who wrote about the dissolution of the patient-physician trust, told CNN, “This is just really symptomatic of this bigger problem: The fact that patients with complex, medically unexplained symptoms … they’re often dismissed, and a lot of mainstream physicians think that patients are faking it.”
If the trust for medical professionals is already waning, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a whole generation of young adults who do not trust the medical system as a whole, especially with the prevalence of medical malpractice suits in America.
Patients must advocate for themselves in the hospital and make sure their doctor is performing proper diagnosis and treatment – not filming TikToks for their 100,000 followers. If you feel your medical treatment had errors or negligence, make sure to research your possible claim in Pennsylvania.