Social media

What does the federation of state medical boards say about social media?

-dont have online interactions with your patients unless it is about medical treatment within the physician-patient relationship -never do this on a social network or social media site -protect patient privacy and confidentiality at all times -physicians should be aware that any information they post on a social networking site is viewable to a larger audience, and that is may be taken out of context -what you put on the internet will always be there

What are challenges regarding boundaries in social networking?

-increased chance of patient exploitation -disinhibition, belief of anonymity, and asynchrony of interactions online -physician online accessibility can lead to unclear expectations of reponse time and what will or will not be discussed via internet

What are ethical and professional issues associated with online conversations?

-limits of confidentiality -challenges in establishing and maintaining appropriate boundaries in social networking -professional reputation is greatly affected by online activity

social media and patient privacy

-protection of patient privacy is imperative -people can still identify a patient even when the name is not used -privacy settings will not always provide protection from unauthorized viewing -Facebook and Twitter are NOT HIPAA compliant

What are VCOM's social media guidelines?

Be transparent Maintain confidentiality Do no harm Consider your audience Respect copyright and fair use Be aware of liability Define your role Protect the institutional voice Respect VCOM time and property

What are the consequences for misuse of social media?

Disciplinary action by VCOM administration (ex. verbal reprimand, suspension, expulsion) Revocation of a residency selection or denial of residency State medical boards have the authority to discipline physicians for unprofessional conduct ranging from a letter of reprimand to revocation of a license Risk of legal ramifications, including claims such as libel, slander, defamation of character, negligence, etc. Rejection from potential employers or job termination Tarnished professional reputation that will take years to reverse, if ever

what does the AMA code of ethics say about social media?

Physicians should: -Be cognizant of standards of patient privacy and confidentiality -Use privacy settings to safeguard personal information and content, but realize that privacy settings are not absolute and that once on the Internet, content is likely there permanently -Maintain appropriate boundaries of the patient-physician relationship in accordance with professional ethical guidelines -Consider separating personal and professional content online -Bring any unprofessional content to the attention of the physician who posted it; if subsequently not removed OR if it is a serious violation of professional norms, the appropriate authorities should be notified -Be aware that actions online may negatively affect physician's reputation among patients and colleagues, have consequences for medical careers, and can undermine public trust in the medical profession.

Social contract and physicians

Social contract: society granted physicians status, respect, autonomy in practice, the privelege of self-regulation, and financial rewards on the expectation that physicians would be competent, altruistic, moral, and would address the health care needs of individual patients and society. -your professionalism online should demonstrate these attributes of a good physician

What is social media?

any electronic communication through which users create communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, videos, etc...

professional conversations

include information that is relevant primarily to the nature of the business relationship; power is ultimately held by the doctor

personal conversations

those you have with family, friends, significant others, and some colleagues; power is often shared