Listen To WPR online Live Streaming Page Archive Streaming Page Click here to support WPR! Return to the WPR Home Page
Explore WPR
WPR Home
Support WPR!
Support WPR's Online Community!
Contact Us
About WPR
Newsletters and Reports
Studios, Stations and Program Schedules
Station Coverage Maps, Reception and Technical Issues
WPR Program Index
The Ideas Network
The NPR News and Classical Network
WPR News
Internet Webcasting
WPR's National SHows
The Radio Store
Related Links

WPR Programs
Search wpr.org
This Month's Featured Stories
NEWS LINKS: WPR News Home | Bureaus | Reporters | Awards
FEATURES: Specials, Series & Documentaries | Wisconsin Vote | Wisconsin Life | StoryCorps
DOCTORS SHARING TOO MUCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA? WPR News - Doctors Sharing Too Much on Social Media?
Wednesday October 10, 2012 by Shawn Johnson

The head of a board that regulates physicians says something needs to be done about doctors sharing way too much with their patients on social media sites like Facebook.

Medical Examining Board Chairman Sheldon Wasserman says doctors have traditionally maintained a certain distance from the people they treat. But Wasserman says that has changed with the advent of sites like Facebook.  Wasserman says doctors are friending patients. And he says he's seen several Facebook pictures of medical residents that would normally be kept private, "Picture after picture shows them drunk, drugged out, smoking pot. You know, doing crazy things."

Wasserman, an obstetrician and former Democratic state lawmaker, says he's not sure where the state should draw the line, whether it be restricting who a doctor can "friend" or what they can post on Facebook, "It was very easy in the old days that you could say no, you don't put pictures of yourself drunk on websites. Or you don't take pictures and show it to your patients. But here you are doing that."

Wasserman says he plans to raise the issue with the Medical Examining Board when it meets next week. The board is composed of appointees from Republican Gov. Scott Walker and former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. 

You can also listen to this story or download it now! (1:08)



Support for WPR provided by

Shop Now!



Support WPR!


HOME | ABOUT | PROGRAM INDEX | MEMBERSHIP | SPONSORSHIPS | WPR NEWS
IDEAS NETWORK | NEWS & CLASSICAL NETWORK | RADIO STORE
LIVE STREAMS | AUDIO ARCHIVES

For questions or comments about our programming, call Audience Services
at 1-800-747-7444, email us at listener@wpr.org, or use our Online Feedback Form.
View our Privacy Policy.   Send comments about our website to webmaster@wpr.org.

©2013 by Wisconsin Public Radio - a service of the
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
and University of Wisconsin - Extension.