L'impatto dei social media sul rapporto medico-paziente: ambivalenze nell'uso di WhatsApp da parte dei diabetologi in Italia

In the web society, while e-patient is growing and patients' participation at online communities is increasing, doctors are more and more present on the web and they use social media to communicate with patients, especially in case of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. The article is about a qualitative research (in-depth interviews with Italian diabetologists) aimed at exploring the use of WhatsApp in the relationship between diabetes doctor and diabetic patient, highlighting advantages, disadvantages and risks perceived by health professionals. Finally, it reflects on the opportunity to institutionalize social media, recognizing them as important working tools in the healthcare system.