Background

With increasing interest in social media platforms among the general population, there has also been a rise in the number of social media profiles run by individual medical professionals. Although the reasons behind this correlation are varied and discussed later in this article, this ultimately influences the information to which the general population is exposed to.

Objectives

This study focuses on analyzing the Polish legal acts and professional codes of ethics which are currently binding and serve to guide the boundaries of acceptable conduct for healthcare professionals engaging in online communication, self-promotion, or the public dissemination of medical information.

Material and methods

Numerous legal acts regarding various aspects of healthcare activities in Poland were analyzed and relevant documents were identified through targeted searches of official legislative databases. Key legal definitions, professional duties, and ethical obligations were systematically extracted and compared across various healthcare professionals to identify common principles and areas of divergence.

Results

There are no explicit legal acts in Poland that regulate the use of social media by healthcare professionals. Nevertheless, statutory regulations and professional codes of ethics contain provisions that indirectly govern online conduct pertaining to patient rights, commercial interests, and professional image.

Conclusions

The dissemination of digital content by healthcare professionals must always be guided by the principle of respecting the privacy, dignity, and trust of the patient. Each publication should also be evaluated in terms of how it could influence the public image of medical professionals.