The rise in misinformation in healthcare has culminated in a current infodemic, where false information from both physical and digital landscapes contributes to confusion and risky health decision-making. It is time to address the role of infection preventionists (IPs) in combating misinformation.
New data from a survey fielded in May 2025 shows that physicians are seeing a dramatic increase in the belief in misinformation from their patients since the Covid pandemic, with 61% of doctors in a recent survey saying they encountered patients influenced by false information in the past year.
Before speaking about how we can contest this dangerous trend, let's begin with some definitions:- Misinformation, false information based on unclear evidence, leads people to believe what they see is accurate.
- Disinformation is the deliberate spread of false information designed to mislead public opinion.
Both contribute to the infodemic, which creates a lack of trust in public health, science, and healthcare, and can lead patients to avoid healthcare recommendations or follow unproven advice. Healthcare misinformation often relies on limited statistics without showing the full picture, or can be based on outdated information that has since been disproven. AI-generated insights also play a factor, as these tools often don’t have the vetting needed to distill a false premise from credible information. With the ever-increasing use of digital tools like social media and AI, incorrect information can spread quicker than ever, but as infection preventionists, we have the tools to effectively combat the spread.
Infection Preventionists' role in promoting credible healthcare information
As a result of the pandemic and increased infection outbreaks, like the recent US rise in measles cases, IPs have had increased public visibility. As the stewards of public health, we are trusted to provide accurate, unbiased information that helps guide appropriate care. Identifying reliable sources for infection information and fact checking have always been part of our role, but these practices are more important than ever amidst the rise in medical misinformation.
IPs are uniquely positioned to promote credible health information at the healthcare system level, but we also play a key role outside of the hospital as expert influencers within our own communities. This begins with encouraging patients, healthcare professionals, families and friends to responsibly review and discern the health information they see online. National organizations like the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) offer evidence-based tools and resources to support IPs combating misinformation on the ground. These organizations support consistent messaging across public health departments and healthcare systems, as well, which reinforces the credibility in addressing misinformation head-on.
The double-edged sword of technology
As technology expands, so does the amount of inaccurate information within the digital sphere. A key example where we’ve seen growth in misinformation is on social media, but other digital platforms like blogs, Reddit, and AI bots also contribute to the spread. The lack of guardrails on these platforms opens the door to spread inaccuracies and frame an opinion as fact in a misleading way, whether deliberately or not.
However, technology also has an essential role to play in helping to identify and monitor the spread of questionable information. If used correctly and with the proper guidelines, technology can help amplify credible sources and position local experts with relevance to the region as central sources of truth to larger communities. In this way, social media can also serve as a key tool for IPs to engage with a wider audience and help point to credible sources publicly to tackle misinformation directly.