Doctors are professionals for whom creating a website is not trivial. There are indeed a number of ethical rules to follow, making the creation of a website for doctors not comparable to that for a typical business. In this article, we will explore the framework within which a doctor can set up a website and the obligations they must adhere to.
An Informative Website
In fact, when browsing the web, we notice that some doctors already have their own websites. These can, for example, present the doctor's practice, office hours, and the location of their practice(s). They can also use it to publish health information for their patients... All of this, of course, in compliance with the principles of medical ethics.
The creation of websites for doctors is even encouraged by the National Council of the Order of Doctors (CNOM).
In this regard, at the beginning of 2014, a "Charter of Ethical Compliance Applicable to Doctors' Professional Websites" was published. The main points are as follows:
The Website Address
It is the physician's professional plaque on the web. In this sense, it should reference the physician's identity and professional qualifications. Note that to obtain an address in the format "adresse.medecin.fr," you must go through the CNOM as it owns this domain name. It should be noted that having a domain name issued by the CNOM is not mandatory for creating a website for physicians. Personally, I recommend acquiring your own domain name, which you fully own.
Advertising on the web
It is prohibited. Consequently, "paid referencing" like AdWords is also prohibited, as well as any form of rating of the website or the physician.
Presentation of the physician
The physician must be identified as in the CNOM public directory: Last Name, First Name, RPPS Number. Additionally, it is possible to include: photos, titles of membership in scholarly societies, languages spoken, works and publications, honorary distinctions.
Presentation of the practice or structure
It may contain:
- the address,
- phone and email contact details,
- opening hours,
- a location map,
- vacation dates with possibly a mention of the presence of a substitute or collaborator,
- the address of a colleague to contact in case of absence.
Presentation of the activity
The following must be mentioned on the website:
- the sector of agreement,
- membership in an Approved Management Association,
- conditions for providing estimates (particularly in the case of a cosmetic surgeon),
- the organization of on-call duty.
It may also include a description of the technical procedures performed by the physician(s).
Online scheduling
Online appointment booking is possible provided the anonymity of patients is preserved.
Contacting
The internet user can contact the site manager. However, they must be informed that their message will not be read in real-time, that this messaging system is not intended for obtaining medical information, and that it is not secure, meaning the information they write can be read by people other than their doctor.
Going Live
When creating a website for doctors, it is recommended to inform the Departmental Council of the Order of Doctors about the website going live.
Site Content
Health information should be presented objectively and educationally, citing sources and references and mentioning publication or update dates. They do not replace but can complement the information provided during consultations. If the doctor cannot perform regular updates, it is recommended to create links to public health information websites instead.
Conflicts of Interest
The doctor must disclose any conflicts of interest with companies related to health. In other words, if the website creation is funded by a laboratory or another organization, this must be mentioned.
The creation of a website for doctors is not necessarily required to adhere to this CNOM charter, but it is certainly beneficial and contributes to a comprehensive approach to introducing digital tools with informative purposes and in the service of the patient.
Additionally, like any site dealing with health issues, it is possible to request HONcode certification, recognized by the Haute Autorité de Santé.
Available Tools
Note that there are other platforms available for doctors that can be useful in addition to a website. Particularly in the context of medical replacements, replacement ad sites (e.g., dakodoc.fr) are accessible and sometimes offer free ad postings. This is an effective way to utilize web resources without necessarily having a website.
If you already have a website, don't forget to include a link to it in your ad.