Page 31 - Part 1 Navigating Electronic Media in a Healthcare Setting

SVMIC Navigating Electronic Media in a Healthcare Setting

Furthermore, something seemingly innocuous, when taken out of
context, could reach and be misinterpreted by an unintended

audience (patients, superiors, future employers). Even an innocent

joke can be easily misinterpreted by the reader as the reader does
not have the advantage of seeing facial expressions or hearing a

tone of voice. These misunderstandings can lead to a tarnished
reputation but may have long-reaching and serious consequences

as well. Recently, a number of examples of both questionable
behavior as well as ethical and legal violations have popped up in

the news media and medical literature. Violations of confidentiality

were noted in a study of physicians’ blog posts that provided
sufficient information to identify patients. Privacy and confidentially

were also violated when photos of patients in the midst of

operations were posted on a social networking site. Postings that
violate HIPAA and lead to civil and criminal liabilities imposed by

the government may also lead to civil lawsuits alleging breach of
privacy.

One of the primary complaints often voiced by patients and their

family members relates to the time they are required to wait to see
a provider. If the patient or family member sees a staff member

accessing social media, whether it is on their own device or a
practice-owned device, they feel that their health concerns are

being ignored and their time wasted. See the following case
example:

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