Rheumatologists Turn to Social Media to Educate Patients & Combat Misinformation

She also offers tips on simple ways to address hand pain, treatment options for psoriatic arthritis, the importance of logging your symptoms and advocating for yourself, as well as simplified videos discussing rheumatic conditions, how the conditions are treated, what medications are used and more.

“One patient asked if I could explain her condition to her boyfriend, and I suggested that he watch one of my videos,” Dr. Warmoth says. “She told me it really helped him better understand some of the challenges she faces on a daily basis.”

Patient Education & Engagement

Micah Yu, MD, an integrative rheumatologist with the Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach, Calif., started using Instagram in 2018 to provide education on rheumatic diseases. His videos discuss how both integrative and traditional medicine can help the symptoms associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus. In 2020, he joined TikTok and now has 80,000 followers on his @myautoimmunemd account. He also maintains accounts on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Dr. Yu

“People with no medical background are posting information on social media that isn’t backed by science and many patients believe that information is factual,” Dr. Yu says. “I think it’s critical for rheumatologists and other physicians to have a social media presence in order to offer some balance.”

In his videos, Dr. Yu is candid about his own diagnoses of gout and spondyloarthritis and discusses how adopting a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet improved both his lab work and pain levels. Although he will answer general questions from his followers, he won’t offer medical advice. By utilizing different social media platforms, Dr. Yu says he can reach a broader audience.

“I strive to give patients information they might not be receiving anywhere else,” Dr. Yu says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Beyond patient education, Dr. Yu says having a social media presence also allows rheumatologists to inform the public about the rheumatology field, the conditions they treat and when a referral to a rheumatologist is warranted.

“Since I offer telemedicine visits through my practice, sometimes my social media followers turn into patients,” he says. “They’ve gotten to know my personality and how I work through my videos.”

While social media can sometimes get a bad rap, Dr. Yu believes these platforms play an important role in the future of medicine and patient care.