A Social Media Policy Checklist - Tips for Preventing Privacy Violations

http://ow.ly/6c3jd

Article from Howard Anderson appearing on healthcare info security website.

This article provides some insight into the use of social media by healthcare providers.  The article quotes Cecilia Backman, associate director of health information management at Parkland Health and Hospital system in Dallas.  Among the advice provided in the article is the following,  "Steps that organizations can take to minimize the risks involved in using social media, Backman said, include:
Conduct a social media risk analysis that addresses operational and well as technical issues;

Develop a formal social media policy that addresses all identified risks and covers staff as well as volunteers,

contractors and independent practitioners - anyone who might have access to patient information;

Spell out in the policy expectations for the ethical behavior of those who create content for social media sites on behalf of the organization or use social media in any way, both at work or on their personal time;

Specify sanctions for violations of the policy and provide extensive annual staff training;

Modify medical staff rules, employee privacy agreements as well as business associate agreements to address the use of social media;

and Monitor mentions of your organization on various social media sites to guard against potential health information breaches."