Ep. 46: Social media health information with Richard Miller, MD

Medical Economics Assistant Editor Austin Littrell and Richard Miller, MD, a psychiatrist with Elwyn Adult Behavioral Health in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, discuss how to talk to patients about health information they get from social media.

Check out our previous episodes about noncompete clauses, physicians in politics, malpractice, and payer negotiations.

Music Credits: Information Overload by Riverworn - stock.adobe.com Relaxing Lounge by Classy Call me Man - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.


Introduction to social media's Impact (00:00:00)
Discussion on the prevalence of social media and its role in shaping health perceptions.

Host Introduction (00:00:21)
Keith Reynolds introduces the podcast and the guests for the episode.

Richard Miller's background (00:01:01)
Miller shares his professional background and current practice details.

Misaligned patient expectations (00:02:28)
Exploration of how social media trends create unrealistic expectations for treatment options.

Addressing inappropriate treatment requests (00:04:45)
Strategies for physicians to manage patient requests for unproven treatments from social media.

Managing patient frustration (00:06:18)
Techniques for healthcare providers to handle misunderstandings and frustrations from patients.

Role of empathy in patient relationships (00:07:46)
Importance of empathy in maintaining strong patient-provider relationships amid misinformation.

Shared decision-making in treatment (00:09:42)
Discussion on how shared decision-making can help navigate patient concerns rooted in misinformation.

Educating patients on treatment plans (00:11:23)
Recommendations for healthcare providers to effectively educate patients about treatment options.

Improving patient education with social media (00:12:35)
Suggestions for healthcare providers to use social media as a tool for patient education.

Importance of reliable resources (00:14:17)
Advocacy for creating reliable resources to provide accurate health information to patients.

Closing thoughts on psychiatric treatments (00:15:18)
Miller emphasizes the benefits of modern psychiatric medications and treatment options.

Conclusion and thanks (00:16:22)
Keith Reynolds wraps up the episode, thanking the guests and listeners.