ACP and FSMB encourage doctors to 'pause before posting' and not 'friend' patients in policy paper

April 11, 2013 -- The creation and use of information online and the widespread use of the Internet offer exciting new opportunities for patient care, but also require physicians to consider how to best protect patient interests and apply principles of professionalism to online settings, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) said today in a newly released policy paper, Online Medical Professionalism: Patient and Public Relationships.

Digital communications and social media use continue to increase in popularity among the public and the medical profession, said Phyllis Guze, MD, FACP, chair, Board of Regents, ACP. This policy paper provides needed guidance on best practices to inform standards for the professional conduct of physicians online.

Published online today at