*This article is brought to you by AAMSSA: The Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Medicine Society of South Africa.
A2 Magazine is a proud media partner of AAMSSA*
Find an aesthetic practitioner www.aestheticdoctors.co.za
Most professions or institutions possess a Code of Conduct: a set of guidelines that serve to direct its members on how to conduct their behaviour that is in line with a certain standard. A case in point is the use of social media in the medical industry. When using social networking platforms, medical doctors in South Africa should comply with the Health Professions Councils of South Africa’s rules of advertising practice (HPCSA).
A2 journalist, Paola Chellew, explores the realm of social media marketing particularly in the Aesthetic Medicine industry while discussing the dos and don’ts with various doctors as well as garnering some comments from a well-known influencer, Candice-Lee Kannemeyer.
The word “ethics” is derived from the Greek word ethos (character), and from the Latin word mores (customs). Together, they combine to define how individuals choose to interact with one another.1
Interestingly, the virtue of ethics originally stems from the teachings and thoughts of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates – three of the greatest ancient Greek philosophers2. Known collectively as ‘The Big Three’, these moral thinkers individually believed that a life focused on virtue leads to happiness (Aristotle), that good conduct leads to human well-being (Plato), and that the unexamined life is not worth living (Socrates).
Their teachings on morality were passed down for centuries, where they eventually found a basis in modern philosophy today3. But alas, there are still some aspects of our cultural society that are found wanting in the ethics department. A good example of this is the phenomenon of social media.
In recent years, the use of this mainstream media network has ventured into a grey area, where the rules seem uncertain, and in some cases, ethics are stretched to capacity. This rings particularly true in the case where medical professionals use this medium to market their practice and skills.
Ethics in social media use for doctors
Within the medical field, social media for marketing purposes is not so simple and clear cut.
The HPCSA ethical guidelines advise against engaging in active or passive touting and canvassing, and this includes allowing others to do so on their behalf.
In basic terms, touting is the practice of offering freebies and specials (which is often how influencers market a doctor’s practice, and how they get compensated), while canvassing is promoting one’s professional goods and services by drawing attention to a doctor’s personal qualities, superior knowledge and practices. This includes patient reviews and the use of influencers.
So, how do medical practitioners toe the ethical line? When is it ok to use a celebrity or influencer, and are there rules or guidelines?
Dr Debbie Norval, Past President of AAMSSA, weighs in:
“Some of the core principles of the medical profession are integrity, trustworthiness, benevolence and discernment. These principles should equally apply when a doctor uses social media. Doctors who use influencers to promote their practices need to make sure that they fall in line with these core values and principles. Is the influencer acting with integrity? Are they honest and authentic? Is it in the best interest of the patient”?
“Another conundrum to consider is the fact that while influencer marketing is legally permissible with certain strict conditions and stipulations, it is unclear whether it is ethically acceptable. This is why doctors are advised to use extreme caution when employing influencers. For instance, they should be asking questions such as: do influencers build up or break down the trust and respect between doctor and patient? Do they, in fact, add to the quality of medical care?”
In this respect, Dr Nerina Wilkinson thinks that they do, as she makes use of influencers on her social media platforms (not without some firm stipulations though):
“I feel that it’s critical for doctors to do their homework when choosing an ambassador who will represent them or their brand. A suitable influencer requires a high level of professionalism, as they will be talking about your practice and the treatments they’ve had. And because they will be referring clients to you, it is vital that they not only stay true to the relevancy of the brand but also have the same interests. Pairing up with someone who doesn’t enjoy the beauty industry would be an obvious mismatch – one that could ultimately be perceived as inauthentic.”
“Now, should one be interested in acquiring the services of a brand ambassador, it is of utmost importance that this individual sign a physical document to ensure the content is professional, educational and scientifically correct. They must also agree not to tout or canvas; i.e. they will not encourage followers to have the treatments. And while they may share their own experience, they actually cannot give any medical advice on the treatments they’ve had. Truth be told, I enjoy using social media – it involves challenge, creativity and science (all of which play a major role in the work that I love).”
On the flip side of the coin, not everyone has had a great experience with social media marketing and influencers. In fact, the wrong publicity could do serious damage to your business, as Dr Natasha Chapman can attest to:
“I saw a new patient at the start of 2018 who said she was a make-up artist and had a following of over 10,000 on Instagram – many of whom valued her opinion and would come to my practice if she posted about her treatments. I thought this was a great way for prospective patients to see what an aesthetic procedure entails. To my surprise, she brought a friend along to her first consult, where BOTH of them proceeded to ask for a discount! Regrettably, I naively agreed to their request.
After the treatment, she posted and shared a video of her procedure (as per our agreement), but it disappointingly resulted in zero referrals.
Then, in October of the same year, she came to me once more for a treatment, which was followed by another consult soon thereafter. This time, however, she deemed it appropriate to not only bring a guest again but to also fragrantly disregard the Covid protocols we had in place. What’s more, both of them insisted on being seen together, and when I refused, they immediately left – thus leaving me with a two-hour opening.
To add insult to injury, the story of the influencer’s experience was posted on Instagram in a negative manner. Fortunately, she didn’t mention my name or my practice name, but it was definitely a good lesson learned”.
So, now that we got the doctors covered, what about the consumers of social media – the prospective clients for these doctors? If one has to make a decision on the choice of doctor, would the influencer’s experience on social media manipulate that choice? Should it?
According to Candice-Lee Kannemeyer, journalist and blogger of www.inmybag.co.za, her readers enjoy and request this kind of content as they might be thinking of having a particular aesthetic treatment.
This is because they trust her judgement on procedures as they are based on her personal experience – as well as the fact that she believes in the integrity of both doctor and influencer.
As an example, her video post on Instagram of a vampire facial treatment she had in collaboration with Rondebosch Aesthetics, served as a step-by-step guide to followers who might be interested in having the procedure. The doctors explained the process in the recording, with the information being clear and correct. This is what makes Candice-Lee credible as an influencer. In terms of disclaimers or trade exchange contracts, she is upfront:
“Other than signing a disclaimer, there are no contracts. I have never been paid by an aesthetic doctor to showcase their treatments. I always disclose whether the treatment is a trade exchange or paid for by myself. I believe that I’m an ethical person, so if there’s a verbal agreement in place, I will keep my end of the deal. The doctors also understand that should a treatment have a negative side-effect, I will share the cause, as well as the solution”.
Dr Alek Nikolic concurs:
“The goal of social media is to educate patients on the treatments that we offer at our practice. As an example, all treatment videos we post have specific explanations on which area is being treated, why, and what effect can be achieved. This is followed by before and after photos. If we chat about chemical peels or lasers, we let people know more about the treatments, including downtime and potential side effects (which gives doctors the opportunity to reveal results, as well as present what their practice stands for).
“When choosing an influencer, a number of factors are important, including the number of followers, as one of the aims is to increase awareness, in addition to absolute trustworthiness. We request that the influencer states that they have received the treatment for free in exchange for exposure. In this way, everything is above board. The only written document we have is signed permission to use treatment videos and publish any photos taken.
“We also request that we review content before it is posted in order to make sure all the facts are correct. However, we do not change or request any changes in the style or format of the content.
“As for young doctors starting out, I feel that the use of social media is an advantage as it allows one to showcase their practice. The best advice would be to ensure that they comply with the ethical regulations and standards of the HPCSA when it comes to using social media. If unsure, they can always get help from our local aesthetic society: AAMSSA (Aesthetic & Anti-ageing Society of South Africa)”.
Dr Vivien Jandera, Past President of APRASSA (Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons of Southern Africa) agrees:
“Today, social media is often the first contact point a patient has with the doctor, whether they have heard about you from a real person, or read about you online (which is where they expect to find information about you).
“And while I still think that a personal referral from an actual patient one has treated is the best source of future business, I also feel that social media is a fantastic opportunity for patient education – so I try to slant my posts in that direction. All social media needs to be carefully curated, so as not to contravene the APRASSA guidelines, while still presenting a professional image of one’s practice. It also gives the opportunity to share a little of one’s personality – a form of personal branding.”
Final thought
Taking into account all of the opinions and thoughts from our expert contributors above, it is safe to assume that it’s not only the doctors’ responsibility to have their social media posts reflect their ethical integrity – it is also up to the prospective client to be able to discern the qualities of honesty and trustworthiness (which may, or may not, be reflected in the medical practitioner’s social media platform).
The onus is therefore on the consumer to apply the same ethical guidelines while making the ultimate choice… (and preferably, one that would please our friends, the Greek philosophers of ethics!)
For further information on the Regulations of Ethical Marketing, visit the Health Professions Councils of South Africa’s website: www.hpcsa.co.za
Written by
References
1Legal Information Institute https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/ethics#:~:text=The%20word%20%22ethics%22%20is%20derived,to%20interact%20with%20one%20another
2 Self-Study History
3Influencer marketing by healthcare providers – Ethics and the law
http://www.dgmc.co.za/ContentClinical/images/pdf/06%20HARRIET%20AEM%204%202021%20rev01.pdf
To report any unsafe practice or if you have any queries please feel free to contact Karen Nel at AAMSSA info@aestheticdoctors.co.za
Find a doctor practising aesthetic medicine in South Africa by visiting www.aestheticdoctors.co.za
A2 Disclaimer: This article is published for information purposes only, nor should it be regarded as a replacement for sound medical advice.
This article was written by Paola Chellew and contributors, and edited by the A2 team EXCLUSIVELY for the A2 Aesthetic & Anti-Ageing Magazine Autumn 2022 Edition (Issue 40 – Mar – Jun 2022).
Autumn 2022 Edition (Mar – Jun 2022) – Issue 40
A2 Magazine prints only four magazines each year – reporting seasonally on everything you need and want to know about aesthetics, anti-ageing, integrative medicine, quality and medical skincare, cosmetic dentistry and cosmetic surgery in South Africa – where to go, who to see, what to expect, something new and so much more! Never miss an edition – click here for more info about where you can buy the print and/or digital copy of A2 Magazine (including back copies).
All original content owned by LeWeb Media. To make use of any of our content for re-publishing, kindly contact us for approval info@a2magazine.co.za