Social media management for doctors is the work of running a physician’s, clinic’s, or medical practice’s Instagram and similar accounts as a regular, understandable information source within the limits permitted by healthcare promotion rules. What distinguishes doctor social media management from other sectors is that the account’s goal is ‘accurate information and realistic expectations’ rather than ‘more attention’: many tools commonplace in other sectors, such as campaign announcements, patient thanks, giveaways, and boosted posts, are unavailable here.
This page addresses what physicians, dentists, clinics, dietitians, and psychologists may share on their accounts, the conditions governing patient images, how the inbox is managed, and why paid promotion remains largely unavailable. The general operation of content calendars, production, and reporting is explained on the social media management page.
Let us review the doctor’s account against the regulation free of charge
When you send the Instagram username, number of physicians or specialists, and who currently manages the account through WhatsApp, recent posts receive a free preliminary review. Posts that appear risky are noted; once the scope is clear, a price proposal is shared in writing that day.
What content can be freely shared on a healthcare account?
There are two content groups that can readily be shared on a healthcare account: information improving health literacy and identity information describing who the physician is. The healthcare promotion and information regulation, published in the Official Gazette on November 12, 2025, defines the first group as ‘health-protecting and health-promoting’ content increasing individuals’ control over their own health (Art. 4/1-e). The second group includes the professional’s specialties, academic title, and the days and address where patients are seen (Art. 4/1-ğ).
In social media management for doctors, the monthly calendar draws on the following subjects within this framework:
- Preventive information: Seasonal health subjects, screening ages, and daily habits such as oral care or sleep routines.
- Common misconceptions: Correcting a belief patients frequently express during consultations, together with its source.
- Preparing for an examination: Test results and medication lists to bring, or whether to arrive fasting.
- Identity and access: Specialty, consultation days, address, and transportation information.
Who explains the information?
The regulation reserves information about healthcare services for professionals authorized in the relevant subject (Art. 5/1-b). In practice, copy or a video script is prepared on the social media side, and the physician reads, corrects, and approves every medical sentence; the person speaking on camera is also the physician. Methods whose accuracy has not been scientifically proven cannot be described even if a physician presents them (Art. 5/1-ç).
Are dietitian and psychologist accounts subject to the same rules?
Largely, yes. The professions covered by the regulation also include those listed in Additional Article 13 of the Medical Practice Law, and this article of Law No. 1219 names dietitians and clinical psychologists explicitly. Social media management for dietitians therefore follows the same approach as a physician account; recipes and nutrition information are allowed, while weight-loss promises and client transformations are not.
Mental health literacy also takes priority in social media management for psychologists. The scope applicable to a specialist working as a bachelor’s-level psychologist or psychological counselor is clarified with legal counsel, and until then the account is managed in the same measured language. For planning the website opened by the profile link, the dietitian website design page guides nutrition consultants, while the psychologist website design page guides therapy practitioners. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Which posting ideas never enter the calendar?
Content that never enters the calendar is content falling under the prohibitions individually listed in Article 5 of the regulation; many ideas generating the most engagement in other sectors appear on this list. The table below matches ideas frequently suggested for healthcare accounts with the relevant subparagraph:
| Posting idea | Rule it conflicts with | What is done instead |
|---|---|---|
| Resharing a patient’s ‘Thank you, doctor’ Story | Prohibition on posts based on thanks and satisfaction (Art. 5/1-e); applies even if posted in another medium (Art. 7/1-ğ) | The tag remains on the account and is not reshared |
| A holiday checkup discount | Prohibition on price, discount, and campaign information (Art. 5/1-m) | An informational post explaining who is advised to undergo screening |
| A free procedure giveaway among followers | Prohibition on incentives, giveaways, and gifts (Art. 5/1-l) | A live question-and-answer session |
| ‘The city’s best orthodontist’, ‘guaranteed results’ | Prohibition on promotion creating an impression of superiority over others (Art. 5/1-h) | Registered specialty and consultation information |
| Collaboration with a supplement brand and a discount code | Prohibition on company, product, and brand promotion and links (Art. 5/1-h) | Nutrition information without brand names |
| A short video from the operating room | Prohibition on patient images during interventions or surgery (Art. 7/1-h) | An animation explaining the procedure’s steps |
The reviewed text does not individually list words such as ‘best’ or ‘guaranteed’; the prohibition is based on creating an impression of superiority and promoting the clinic to the detriment of others (Art. 5/1-c and h). For this reason, a post saying ‘Our new device has arrived’, which poses no problem in another sector, is also evaluated together with the physician. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Under what conditions can patient images and before-and-after photographs be shared?
Patient images and before-and-after procedure images are not completely prohibited by the regulation, but can be shared only when all conditions in Article 7 are met. If any condition is missing, the post is removed from the calendar. In clinic social media management, each patient image is checked in the following order before publication:
- Explicit consent: Explicit consent is obtained from the patient or, if a minor or legally restricted, their parent or guardian; the consent form attached to the regulation may be used in writing or electronically (Art. 7/1-b).
- Preview and withdrawal: The patient sees the image before publication and may withdraw permission at any time; the request is processed immediately (Art. 7/1-c).
- Permission without compensation: Patients giving permission receive no payment, discount, or gift; the treatment and fee of patients refusing permission remain unchanged (Art. 7/1-ç and d).
- Unaltered images: There is no misleading makeup, filter, or subsequent technological alteration (Art. 7/1-e).
- Identical conditions and dates: Before-and-after images are taken in the same environment using the same technique, and the procedure and photography dates appear on the image (Art. 7/1-f).
- Source and warning: It is stated whether the image belongs to the relevant physician and a real patient (Art. 7/1-g); the warning sentence given verbatim in the regulation, stating that results may vary between individuals, is added legibly (Art. 7/1-k).
Subparagraph ğ of the same article requires user interaction, meaning comments, likes, and resharing, to be disabled on posts containing images. Because the Turkish Medical Association guide states this rule for posts containing patient images, comments and like counts are disabled at publication on every such post. How the same rules apply to websites is covered in the digital promotion guide for the healthcare sector. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Can physicians and clinics run paid advertising on Instagram?
For accounts addressing patients in Turkey, this route is almost completely closed. The regulation describes the social media presence of a healthcare facility or professional as a listing that is unpaid, unsponsored, and not intended for boosting (Art. 5/1-i); a separate subparagraph also prohibits paid or sponsored publication of visual content (Art. 7/1-j). Allocating a budget to a post through the profile’s ‘Boost’ button also constitutes sponsored publication.
The text contains two narrow exceptions:
- Opening month: A newly opened healthcare facility may use sponsored content during the one-month period from its opening date, provided it complies with the other rules (Art. 5/1-j).
- Health tourism: A facility certified by the Ministry for international services may publish sponsored content in non-Turkish official languages on an account dedicated to foreign patients; Turkey cannot be selected in targeting, and automatic audience suggestions are disabled (Art. 8/1-a, c, and d).
When providing social media management for doctors, Onur Freelance does not recommend Meta advertising for physician, dietitian, and psychologist accounts serving patients in Turkey. For an organization falling within one of the exceptions, advertising management is a separate task, and a clear proposal is provided after the campaign scope is reviewed; organic search visibility is addressed on the SEO for doctors page. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Who publishes the post, and who remains responsible?
The healthcare facility or relevant professional must publish posts containing patient images themselves, and publication by someone else does not remove their responsibility (Art. 7/1-i). The regulation holds the person creating noncompliant content and the person sharing it equally responsible (Art. 5/2). These two provisions determine the division of work between preparation and publication from the outset:
- Posts come from the physician’s or clinic’s own account; collaborative posts are not created on the preparer’s account.
- Every post receives the physician’s written approval before publication, and the approval record is retained.
- Influencer posts praising the clinic and collaborative post invitations are not accepted or reshared in Stories.
What do Turkish Medical Association rules add?
The professional organization’s rules also apply to physicians. Article 11 of the Turkish Medical Association’s Rules of Medical Professional Ethics states that physicians cannot advertise or give their work a commercial appearance.
The Association’s public promotion and information guide, dated July 11, 2025, adds social-media-specific details: expressions stating that services are free, images of premises or devices suggesting superiority, and patient reviews cannot be used; directing links to websites other than official and professional organizations cannot be provided. No official professional organization text was used as a basis on this page for dietitians and psychologists; the regulation is taken as the standard for their accounts. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
What steps does a patient take from discovery to examination?
Patients usually encounter the account through an informational video, check who the physician is on the profile, ask questions by message, and book through the clinic’s phone line. In social media management for doctors, each step serves to establish realistic expectations rather than persuade. Formats are distributed according to this journey:
| Format | Role on a healthcare account | Point to observe |
|---|---|---|
| Reels | The physician answering a question in their own words | No promised outcomes, no patient faces |
| Carousel | Step-by-step preventive information and examination preparation | The source of the cited research on the final slide |
| Story | Congresses, days off, changes to working hours | Patient tags are not reshared |
| Story Highlights | Specialty, consultation days, transportation | No price or campaign folder is created |
| Google Business Profile post | A current announcement for people searching on maps | The same prohibitions apply to profile posts |
The biography includes the registered specialty, address, and contact information; a title based on a certificate is not used (Art. 5/1-d). The profile link leads to the clinic’s own website; the structure of physician and specialty pages is explained on the doctor and clinic website design page.
How are comments and direct messages managed?
In social media management for doctors, monitoring comments and messages follows two rules: no expression of satisfaction becomes promotional material, and no message provides medical advice. The response framework is written together with the physician around these two rules.
Instagram and Google comments
A thank-you comment below a post receives a brief, courteous response; it is not screenshotted and turned into a post. Responses to critical comments contain no information about the patient’s treatment, diagnosis, or examination date, and the conversation moves to the clinic’s phone line. A short link to Google’s review page can be prepared for patients asking for the address; however, a ‘leave a review’ request is not turned into a posting campaign, and no privilege is offered in return. Google’s contribution policy also does not permit offering money, discounts, or free services to obtain reviews or specifically expecting positive reviews from patients.
What happens if a health question arrives by DM?
Questions about symptoms, medication, or test results received by message do not receive diagnosis or treatment advice. The standard response states that the question can be evaluated during an examination and provides the clinic’s appointment line; if an emergency is described, the person is reminded to call 112. Because the regulation prohibits directing people to a particular physician through communication channels under the justification of consultation or information (Art. 5/1-g), and sending messages without the person’s knowledge and consent (Art. 5/1-k), the account also does not send unsolicited messages or bulk announcements. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Why does health information in the inbox receive separate protection under KVKK?
Data concerning a person’s health is among the exhaustively listed special categories of personal data in Law No. 6698, and the Authority’s special categories of personal data page states that such data may be processed only in the circumstances specified by the Law. The same explanation reserves processing health data for treatment purposes to persons under a duty of confidentiality and authorized institutions; taking the adequate measures determined by the Board is also required. Article 6 of the promotion regulation also subjects every promotional activity to personal data protection legislation and the regulation on personal health data.
In social media management for doctors, this means in practice that the account manager does not collect health information, save test photographs or prescriptions from messages, or forward conversations to another group. Account access is limited to the permissions required by the work, two-factor authentication is enabled, and medical correspondence is left to the clinic’s own channel. This section provides general information and is not a legal opinion.
Let us review your published posts together
Story Highlights, pinned posts, and recent posts can be reviewed for patient comments, price expressions, or unauthorized images. Content requiring removal or correction is collected in one list together with the physician.
The most common mistakes on healthcare accounts
The mistake most frequently corrected in social media management for doctors is using the physician’s personal account as a clinic showcase and mixing home life with campaign announcements in the same feed. Nonprofessional posts are possible but should remain unrelated to medical practice. Other common mistakes include:
- ‘First examination free’ announcement: Conflicts with the prohibition on price information and the TTB guide’s prohibition on statements of free services.
- Using a stock image as though it shows a real patient: It must be stated whether the image belongs to a real patient or is sourced elsewhere.
- An AI-enhanced ‘result’ image: Conflicts with the prohibition on subsequent technological alteration.
- Forgetting old posts: Campaign or thank-you posts shared years ago are reviewed because they still remain on the account today.
- Sharing the account password externally: A limited role is assigned through the business portfolio to the person preparing the account; ownership remains with the physician.
How does a general agency package differ from a healthcare-specific plan?
In a general package, the goal is growth in reach and followers; campaign images, giveaways, customer reviews, and boosted posts are tools for that growth. In a healthcare-specific plan, these tools are replaced by the physician’s explanations, sourced information, and a regular response framework; measurement also considers saves, profile visits, and contact button use. With this distinction, doctor social media management accepts from the outset a pace of growth without advertising or reviews.
Onur Freelance operates independently, serves clients from Maltepe Gülsuyu, and is not Meta’s official support channel. Work proceeds through the following steps:
- Introduction: The specialty, consultation arrangements, and who currently manages the account are discussed.
- Account review: Past posts, Highlights, and the biography are listed in terms of the regulation.
- Approval arrangements: Physician approval, patient consent records, and the message response framework are documented.
- Monthly calendar: Subjects are selected from questions the physician hears during consultations, and the calendar is submitted for approval.
- Publishing and reporting: Posts are scheduled from the physician’s account, and statistics are reviewed at month-end.
The monthly fee for a physician account starts at 9,000 TL; if there is an advertising budget payable to Meta, it is kept separate and is not included in this amount. The number of physicians and platforms, video volume, and whether message monitoring is included shape the fee; how these items are calculated is detailed in the social media management prices guide. No promises are made about follower, engagement, or patient counts; WhatsApp messages are answered between 09.00–21.00, and work with physicians outside Istanbul is conducted remotely.
Let us prepare the practice’s first monthly calendar together
A physician curious about the rules, a clinic wanting to compare an existing agency proposal, and a dietitian or psychologist ready to start this month all begin with the same step: a note of a few lines containing the username and specialty. Once the profile is reviewed, the tasks and fee are provided in writing.
How the same service varies across other sectors is explained on the real estate, beauty center, hotel, restaurant and café, and school pages.
Frequently asked questions
How much does social media management for doctors cost?
The monthly fee starts at 9,000 TL and does not include the advertising budget payable to Meta. The final amount is specified in the written proposal after the number of physicians and platforms, video volume, and scope of message monitoring have been reviewed.
Can doctors run sponsored advertising on Instagram?
As a general rule, no, for accounts addressing patients in Turkey; the regulation requires a social media listing to be unpaid and unsponsored, and also prohibits paid publication of visual content. The first month of a newly opened facility and a health tourism account dedicated to foreign patients are narrow exceptions.
Can patient thank-you messages be shared on social media?
No, a post turning a patient’s or family’s thanks or satisfaction into promotional material violates Article 5 of the regulation. This prohibition applies even if the statement was written in another medium; a Story in which a patient tags the account is not reshared.
Can before-and-after photographs be used in clinic social media management?
They can be used if every condition in the regulation is met: explicit consent, unfiltered photography under identical conditions, procedure and photography dates, source information, and the warning sentence. Interaction is disabled on the post, and it cannot be published as sponsored content.
What rules apply to social media management for dietitians?
Because dietitians are listed as healthcare professionals in Law No. 1219, they fall within the healthcare promotion regulation. Client transformations, weight promises, price and campaign information, and supplement brand promotion are not shared; nutrition information and recipe content are permitted.
Can client stories be told in social media management for psychologists?
Client expressions of satisfaction or thanks cannot be shared, and the regulation requires compliance with the Patient Rights Regulation for privacy. Instead of stories that could be linked to an individual, the account shares general information improving mental health literacy.
Are health questions received by DM answered?
No diagnosis or treatment advice is written; the standard response states that the question will be evaluated during an examination and provides the clinic’s appointment line. Because health data is a special category of personal data, images of tests or prescriptions in messages are not saved.
Is an increase in followers or patients promised for the account?
No such promise is made; results depend on the physician’s posting frequency, subjects, and account history. The proposal specifies the tasks, approval arrangements, and reporting frequency.
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