Social Media in Healthcare:Privacy and Security Considerations

WSHIMA – April 20, 2012

Speaker

Lisa A. Gallagher, BSEE, CISM, CPHIMS

Senior Director, Privacy and Security

HIMSS

Learning Objectives

• Explore the current uses of “Social Media” in healthcare

• Discuss privacy and security challenges

• Review social media resources available through HIMSS and others

Why do we mean by“Social Media?”

• “Social media” is the process of people using online tools and platforms to share content and information through conversation and communication

http://www.csc.com/health_services/insights/72849-should_healthcare_organizations_use_social_media

Examples• Blog (“web-log”) - allow users to generate & post their own

content, which they can share with anyone

• Podcast - a type of digital media consisting of files (either audio or video) subscribed to and downloaded through web syndication

• Facebook, MySpace, Google+ - social networking sites that allows users to create a personal profile, connect with others, exchange messages, and join common-interest user groups/sites

• Twitter – blog site that allows users to communicate with each other and share information through short (140 characters) messages, or “tweets.”

Examples (Cont.)

• YouTube - A media sharing platform that allows users to view and share videos with a global audience.

• LinkedIn - is a business-related site, mainly used for professional networking.

• Text (Short Message Service (SMS)) is a text messaging service component of phone, web, or mobile communication systems that allow the exchange of short, text messages between fixed line or mobile phone devices.

Purposes• Deliver pre-determined content

– Factual/educational

– Opinion

– Entertainment

– Marketing

• Engage population in discussion

– Collaboration

– Reviews and opinion

• Manage customers/patients

U.S. Hospitals use of Social Networking Tools1,2

1,229 Hospitals total in sample

4,118 Hospital Social Networking Sites 1- http://ebennett.org/hsnl/

2- updated on October 9, 2011

575

1068

814

566

946

149

YouTube Channels

Facebook pages

Twitter Accounts

LinkedIn Accounts

Four Square

Blogs

Uses in Healthcare• Managing conversation/interaction

• Marketing/brand management

• Manage Google rankings, web hits

• Engage e-patients

• Promote wellness

• Care management/care coordination

• Professional collaboration

• Consumer, patient, professional education

• Clinical trial recruitment

• Workforce recruitment

Some data from: http://www.csc.com/health_services/insights/72849-should_healthcare_organizations_use_social_media

Challenges

• Liability

• Ethical

• Security

• Ability to be responsive/bandwidth

• Control/monitoring employee behavior

• Invites negative comments/feedback

• Dominance of the loud and opinionated

• Ownership of data

• Be cognizant of standards of patient privacy and confidentiality

• Use privacy settings to safeguard personal information and content to the extent possible

• Monitor their own Internet presence to ensure that the personal and professional information on their own sites and, to the extent possible, content posted about them by others, is accurate and appropriate

• Maintain appropriate boundaries of the patient-physician relationship in accordance with professional ethical guidelines

• Consider separating personal and professional content online

1-http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/meeting/professionalism-social-media.shtml

Policy1: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

Policy1: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media

• If you see content posted by colleagues that appears unprofessional, he or she can be removed. If significantly violates professional norms and is not removed, report the matter to appropriate authorities

• Recognize that actions online and content posted may negatively affect their reputations among patients and colleagues, may have consequences for their medical careers (particularly for physicians-in-training and medical students), and can undermine public trust in the medical profession

Do’s and Don’tsDO

• have policies and procedures for your organization

• train your staff, monitor employee behavior

• know where social media is being used – Depts. and people

• use social media to share information that promote quality health care and up-to-date medical information

• recognize that you represent your profession and/or organization

DON’T

• discuss individual patient’s illnesses, medical conditions, or personal information online

• share confidential information about patients or the organization

• give clinical advice or diagnosis

• let questions, inquires, posts go unanswered

• let just anyone speak for your organization

“Engage and Educate”

“Diagnose or Treat”

Social Media Resources• AMA: Professionalism in the Use of Social Media: http://www.ama-

assn.org/ama/pub/meeting/professionalism-social-media.shtml

• Mayo Clinic for Social Media: http://socialmedia.mayoclinic.org/

• CSC: Should Healthcare Organizations Use Social Media?: http://assets1.csc.com/health_services/downloads/CSC_Should_Healthcare_Organizations_Use_Social_Media.pdf

• HCCA: Social Media Survey: http://hcca-info.org/staticcontent/2011SocialMediaSurvey_report.pdf

• Online Database of Social Media Policies: http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php#axzz1je5ucH7k

• Ed Bennett List of Social Media Use: http://ebennett.org/hsnl/

Discussion

• Is your organization using social media?

• For what purpose?

• Are all uses sanctioned?

• What are the challenges you are having?

• What resources

would you like to see?