When was the last time you logged onto Facebook, uploaded a photo to Instagram, or tweeted on Twitter? Chances are it wasn’t too long ago. Social media has permeated our everyday lives, regardless of users’ age, gender, or profession. After all, it’s a quick and easy way to maintain friendships or share news about what’s happening in our lives.
Some practitioners have even begun using social media to cultivate more interactive relationships with patients. For locum tenens physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants, social media offers a no-fuss way to stay in touch with family and friends while away on assignment.
However, when healthcare professionals log on to social media sites, for either business or personal use, it’s important to remember Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations still apply regarding patient privacy.
So what exactly does that entail when sending a tweet or changing your status on Facebook? The following are some of the top tips for staying HIPAA compliant on social media.
Don’t reveal patient details. HIPAA regulations have declared certain patient data as protected health information (PHI). Therefore, to be HIPAA compliant on any social media format, do not publish patients’ names or any other identifying information, including age, date or type of treatment, or location.
Consult directly with specialists. Disclosing PHI with other healthcare professionals through social sites also could violate HIPAA regulations. This includes sharing case specifics other than names, such as X-rays. Rather, reach out via direct lines of communication. Look into apps, like Doximity, that incorporate stricter security protocols to match HIPAA requirements. Another example is DocbookMD, a HIPAA-secure text messaging service.
Separate private from public. Create one Facebook page purely for professional purposes, then maintain an entirely different one to communicate personal information with select family and friends only. Remember to set preferences to limit who can view this page. Otherwise anything shared on your timeline can become available to public viewing.
Maintain professional distance. It’s best to not to “friend” patients, especially to your personal accounts.
Frequently check privacy settings. Because social media companies are constantly updating their sites, privacy settings can change without notification. Regularly reviewing your account’s privacy settings will help keep your private postings private.
Realize tweets can be retweeted. If you want to share news or something of interest with your Twitter followers, then keep in mind the message doesn’t stop with just them. The same goes for Instagram and Pinterest. Your followers can then share with their followers, and so on. Before you know it, your message has reached thousands (or more) people. Make sure your messages are broadcast-worthy for the general public. Also, practice prudence in what you choose to pass along of others’ postings and tweets.
Limit work photos. When away on a locum tenens assignment, you may wish to show family and friends your new work digs. And while uploading a picture of you on the job may seem innocuous, you never know what’s on display in your surroundings. Cameras these days, including those on cellphones, capture great detail, so something in the background inadvertently could reveal patient identification.
Stay positive. Present a sense of professionalism with your social media dealings. This applies to thoughts about colleagues as well as about the profession in general. Also, stay positive when stating opinions about your adopted hometown while on assignment.
When it’s all said and done, employing thoughtful common sense and due diligence in what and how you post status updates or highlights from your locum tenens experiences will go a long way toward staying HIPAA compliant on social media.
