Healthcare Learning Clinic http://healthcaretraining.posterous.com eLearning That is Healthy posterous.com Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:40:20 -0800 Rethinking Social Media Policies for your practice community http://healthcaretraining.posterous.com/rethinking-social-media-policies-for-your-pra http://healthcaretraining.posterous.com/rethinking-social-media-policies-for-your-pra

A great example is when American Medical Association House of Delegates met in an interim meeting in November. The outcome was a thoughtful first step, strawman maybe, but definitely a great initiative toward structuring Observable and Accountable Social Media Policies that turn in to the best interest of the entire practice and patient community.

Amplify’d from www.ama-assn.org

Social media use should mirror face-to-face patient dealings

Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be easy, effective and efficient ways for physicians to connect with their patients, colleagues and others in the outside world. Unfortunately, those sites also can be easy, effective and efficient ways for physicians to get themselves in trouble with their patients, colleagues and others in the outside world.

The tricky part of social media is figuring how to maintain the sort of energetic and personalized presence expected on the sites without stepping over the line into legal and ethical troubles, or without saying something inappropriate that merely reflects badly on yourself.

The policy outlines some considerations doctors should make before they venture into social media -- or should make now that they're involved with it. The guidance covers not only professionalism in social media, but also professionalism for any online presence a physician might have.

Among the policy's recommendations:

  • Physicians should not post identifiable patient information online and should otherwise be aware of standards of patient privacy and confidentiality that should be maintained in every setting, including online. Any interaction with patients online, as it is in the real world, should be in accordance with professional guidelines affecting the patient-physician relationship.
  • Physicians should use any available privacy settings on social media and other websites, but they also should realize that safeguards are not absolute, and that any content put online is likely to stay there permanently. Therefore, doctors routinely should monitor their Internet presence (such as by running their name through a Google search) to make sure their personal and professional information on their own sites -- and others' -- is accurate and appropriate.
  • To make it eas

  • ier to maintain professional boundaries, physicians should consider separating personal and professional presences on social media and elsewhere online.
  • If physicians see colleagues posting content that appears to be unprofessional, they should alert the doctors so they can remove it or take whatever appropriate action is necessary. If the doctors do not take action, and the content significantly violates professional norms, physicians must report the matter to the appropriate authorities.
  • Physicians must recognize that any social media presence and actions online can negatively affect their reputations and consequences for their medical careers. The same goes for physicians-in-training and medical students.
  • Read more at www.ama-assn.org

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    Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:24:06 -0800 Patient Broadcasting- The Prism Sides of Geolocation Services http://healthcaretraining.posterous.com/patient-broadcasting-the-prism-sides-of-geolo http://healthcaretraining.posterous.com/patient-broadcasting-the-prism-sides-of-geolo

    Patients broadcasting checkin-information, feedback, efficacy is a new trend both Physicians and Patient communities are experiencing.

    There are facets to such adoptions. Geolocation services can be a great marketing and publicity vehicle for pharmacies and practice organizations. Compliance to HIPAA however remains a concern and critical achievement.

    Amplify’d from www.ama-assn.org

    Geolocation services: Have your patients put you on the map?

    Mobile applications let people "check in" anywhere to let others know where they are -- including your practice. But applications also let people talk about you.

    Through a technology called geolocation, mobile smartphone users have the ability to "check in" at various businesses and locations, alerting their virtual friends to their whereabouts. They do this using mobile phone applications that work with a smartphone's GPS system, which identifies the users' location.

    these same applications that are allowing patients to check in allow the user to provide instant reviews, observations and critiques. So after you leave that patient's exam room, they could have feedback about their visit with you posted online before you even review the next patient's chart. Or, they could be posting critiques while they're waiting before the appointment, or waiting for you in the exam room.

    But is checking in at a practice something physicians should encourage patients to do?

    hen he showed his dental hygienist the list of people "checked in" at the dental office on Foursquare at that moment, "and she freaked out

    "Medical professionals are trained to be cautious about medical data," Kirkpatrick said.

    Anthony LaFauce, director of digital strategy for SpectrumScience, a health care public relations firm in Washington, D.C., said he has seen pharmacies using geolocation applications to promote services such as flu shots. Physician practices could do similar promotions, he said, but so far he hasn't seen any doing it.

    Encouraging patients to check in might seem like an easy way to promote the practice, but Boyer said he would not recommend that, either. He said physicians who encourage patients to post to geolocation apps might send the wrong message, because it would equate to them encouraging repeat visits -- a good strategy for retailers, but not for physician practices. There's also the issue of HIPAA

    Foursquare: Allows users to check in and earn badges or become "mayor" for checking in the most times.

    Gowalla: Gives users virtual passport stamps and digital souvenirs for checking in.

    Facebook Places: Allows Facebook users to check in to let their Facebook friends know where they've been.

    Google Places: Allows users to find businesses based on their current locations.

    Brightkite: Combines the act of checking in with the ability to follow others and to post and respond to comments.

    Loopt: Combines Loopt and Facebook friends and allows users to see where their friends are on one map.

    ArcGIS: Allows users to create their own customized maps using their own data.

    Read more at www.ama-assn.org

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