Physicians Can Become Influencers with New TMA Resource
By Alisa Pierce

As patients enter exam rooms with questions shaped by what they see online, the Texas Medical Association is arming physicians with a new tool: its Social Media Influencer Academy, designed to help physicians utilize social media to combat medical misinformation and strengthen patients’ trust in their physicians.

A recent national survey from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found nearly 8 in 10 U.S. adults are likely to search online for answers to specific questions about health symptoms or conditions – a trend that makes physicians’ online presence more important every day, says Kimberly Monday, MD, chair of TMA’s Board of Trustees and Membership Advisory Committee.

“Social media is now the way people communicate, and while it's a space you have to be cautious about, it has tremendous opportunity,” the Houston neurologist said.

TMA’s Social Media Influencer Academy is designed to equip physicians with the information necessary to share evidence-based, accurate medical information online in an accessible way. The program provides basic tips, tools, and strategies to assist physicians in confidently and effectively establishing, in consultation with their personal legal counsel, a professional presence on social media.

“The goal of this program is to give physicians who want to create a digital presence all the tools they need to start out,” said Pam Udall, TMA’s vice president of communications and marketing.

The program utilizes scalable virtual learning to educate physicians on creating content tailored to various social media platforms. Its content includes short informational modules and specific recommendations on how to create a brand, including through subject matter, audience, and mission. The academy intends to train physicians and medical students on how to become a social media influencer in the hopes of developing TMA ambassadors late next year.

The program’s curriculum consists of 11 short chapters, each chapter taking around four to 17 minutes to complete, and will be hosted in TMA’s Education Center after December 8. The program is free to TMA members and staff and contains:

• Introduction to Physician Influence Online

• Defining Your Niche and Goals

• The Law, Ethics, and Professional Guidelines

• Branding for Medical Professionals

• Messaging & Storytelling

• Platform Deep Dive

• Content Pillars for Physicians

• Basic Content Systems for Busy Schedules

• Podcasting for Physicians

• Handling Misinformation and Public Backlash

• Long-Term Influence and Reputation Management

A collaborative effort between TMA’s Board of Trustees and Council on Member Experience, the program was created after members requested the association invest in a modernized social media engagement strategy, including a pathway to prepare physicians to influence their communities, while at the same time finding new ways to share the value of TMA membership, results, and other messages.

For example, one of the program’s modules “specifically walks physicians through how to share information online, while not jeopardizing the patient-physician relationship,” Dr. Monday said.

Alongside the new academy, TMA offers several projects that provide physicians with ready-made messaging, social media assets, and content on the value of medicine, including:

• Impact Texas Medicine, a TMA resource that provides in-depth messaging for physicians to recruit their colleagues via certain channels. The Impact Texas Medicine webpage is packed with actionable resources for recruiting members like the newly produced TMA Membership brochure, social media posts and captions, messaging, and more.

• Let Doctors Be Doctors with TMA President Jayesh “Jay” Shah, MD, a podcast highlighting Texas physicians’ and medical students' medical journeys and challenges they encounter along the way, including physician wellness.

Meanwhile, TMA also has begun upgrading and fine-tuning its organic social media strategies to create more engagement. This includes developing more short-form video, animated graphics, and physician involvement across all channels.

“Physicians are beginning to share information online more often,” Dr. Monday said. “And TMA recognizes that doctors need the right tools to use social media effectively to enhance the patient physician relationship.”

To learn more, go to TMA’s webpage.