Purpose
I had an online conversation with a medical friend about the purpose of blogging / tweeting / sharing medical experiences. She directed me to a "Intention to Tweet" tool here (https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Baron-Townsend-Intention-to-Tweet-Decision-Matrix_tbl1_318438041)
Developed to assist decision making about whether a story or comment is appropriate and within professional standards of practice. Major issues include patient confidentiality, which clearly goes well beyond simply removing specific names and addresses from cases. Posting very specific details regarding age and clinical details of a case, particularly within a few days or weeks of the event, clearly comes with a risk of making that individual too easily identifiable and impinging on their right to privacy. It also raises the risk of breaching patient confidentiality.
In the age of the tweet, we no longer have to wait 30 years for a clinician to post educational, amusing, moving stories of their experiences at work, the stuff of memoirs where such privacy concerns are tempered by time and space. This clearly comes with a responsibility to moderate any details sufficiently to maintain a professional standard. In the tool above it asks a question about "why are you posting this information?" and if the reason is for simple self promotion / angrandisement or education about what you do using specific examples, this is regarded as exploitative and should not be posted.
My reasons behind this working blog on life as a doctor in South Africa, are largely to share my experiences with those who may be interested from a professional point of view - peers considering a similar experience in the future. It is also to educate - share the learning I am gaining with others who may benefit. It is also to bring some of the medical experience into a more human context, to engage the reader in real stories about real people. Some are funny, some are tragic. I cannot claim this is a polished and perfectly edited manuscript, it is written ad hoc following quite challenging days at work, but by doing so I hope to share some of the reality and intensity of the job. Also the joy of it.
I hold the dignity, confidentiality and respect of my patients upmost. My intention is not to share their experiences in such a way as to expose them to identification with their specific health condition, nor to cynically cash in on "stories from the poor people of Africa" which is the demographic we are working with daily. The stoicism, strength, endurance and compassion many patients have displayed in the past month have stunned me. Their ability to smile in the face of circumstances I would find untenable, and their gentle hope for help from the hospital doctors and nurses, is humbling in the extreme. It is difficult for me to express the emotional impact of this properly
I am not a research writer or medical journalist, but I can tell a story. These are not particularly in time order - artistic licence has been used to mix up chronology of cases, and sadly, none of them are remarkably unique - these are the "bread and butter" cases of this area.
Developed to assist decision making about whether a story or comment is appropriate and within professional standards of practice. Major issues include patient confidentiality, which clearly goes well beyond simply removing specific names and addresses from cases. Posting very specific details regarding age and clinical details of a case, particularly within a few days or weeks of the event, clearly comes with a risk of making that individual too easily identifiable and impinging on their right to privacy. It also raises the risk of breaching patient confidentiality.
In the age of the tweet, we no longer have to wait 30 years for a clinician to post educational, amusing, moving stories of their experiences at work, the stuff of memoirs where such privacy concerns are tempered by time and space. This clearly comes with a responsibility to moderate any details sufficiently to maintain a professional standard. In the tool above it asks a question about "why are you posting this information?" and if the reason is for simple self promotion / angrandisement or education about what you do using specific examples, this is regarded as exploitative and should not be posted.
My reasons behind this working blog on life as a doctor in South Africa, are largely to share my experiences with those who may be interested from a professional point of view - peers considering a similar experience in the future. It is also to educate - share the learning I am gaining with others who may benefit. It is also to bring some of the medical experience into a more human context, to engage the reader in real stories about real people. Some are funny, some are tragic. I cannot claim this is a polished and perfectly edited manuscript, it is written ad hoc following quite challenging days at work, but by doing so I hope to share some of the reality and intensity of the job. Also the joy of it.
I hold the dignity, confidentiality and respect of my patients upmost. My intention is not to share their experiences in such a way as to expose them to identification with their specific health condition, nor to cynically cash in on "stories from the poor people of Africa" which is the demographic we are working with daily. The stoicism, strength, endurance and compassion many patients have displayed in the past month have stunned me. Their ability to smile in the face of circumstances I would find untenable, and their gentle hope for help from the hospital doctors and nurses, is humbling in the extreme. It is difficult for me to express the emotional impact of this properly
I am not a research writer or medical journalist, but I can tell a story. These are not particularly in time order - artistic licence has been used to mix up chronology of cases, and sadly, none of them are remarkably unique - these are the "bread and butter" cases of this area.
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