One example mentioned in this article involves a physician who posted information about a trauma patient on her personal Facebook page. She did not mention the patient’s name, but released enough information for it to be considered a violation of privacy. She was fired from the hospital and disciplined by the state medical board. Even though this content was posted on her personal page, patient’s privacy laws still applied.
Think about this incident by placing yourself in the patient’s shoes. Would you want all of your physicians Facebook friends to know about your traumatic experience? Most would answer no. Medical professionals should refrain from posting content about a patient, no matter how small of a mention it might be. Physicians can and should have a personal Facebook page; they just need to be smart when posting content and when granting individuals access to view their page. Personal accounts should be private and only visible to those approved.
Incidents like the example mentioned are going to occur, but each situation presents an opportunity for the health care industry to learn. The health industry having to create guidelines for medical professionals to follow when utilizing social media tools should not be considered a negative consequence. Instead it should be positive. Having proper guidelines in place will leave less room for error, mistakes, and violation of privacy issues.
One safe way physicians can be active on Facebook is by maintaining a professional page. The abilities to post disclaimers and control the flow of information are valuable tools in that respect. A professional Facebook page can be an efficient and effective promotional tool. Through this page the physician could post general health maintenance information, research updates, events such as free screenings, etc.
Facebook can be a strong media tool if used properly. Be aware of what you post and make it appropriate for all audiences. Remember that once content is out on the Web, it remains there for all to see. To quote Dr. Lindsay Thompson, “Whatever you put up, make it something that would make your grandmother proud.”
I totally agree with your critique regarding physicians on Facebook and what is appropriate to post. As a licensed medical professional myself, I often found myself wanting to divulge instances of my day that I found intriguing. Careful not to violate HIPPA policies / Guidelines in relation to patient confidentiality, I have always opted not to share my patient interactions, regardless of how vague I could be. As a potential patient to a hospital, clinic, or doctor's office, I would hope that my physician would not share personal information about my medical history on his/her Facebook page-- even if they omit my name, gender and age. 100% professionalism should always be kept in mind.
ReplyDeleteAs a patient, I whole heartedly agree with Oscar. I do not want ANY identifying factors posted anywhere. I guess it is natural to want to share "stories" regarding patients and their oddities; however, I do worry that in doing so the doctor may not take the time to alter events enough to keep identities private. Also it seems obvious that to properly maintain any social media requires considerable time and skill. Is this really where I want my physician spending his/her efforts?
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