Social Media in Healthcare

Jena Jaragoski, Jessica Morris, Ashlin Stiehl, Sarah Thomasson, Lauren Worley, and Amy Youngblood

Outlines and Objectives

Introduction Benefits

of social media in healthcare Job application process Dos and donts of social media Negative risks of social media NCLEX review questions Conclusion

Social Media Statistics

26%

of all hospitals in the U.S. participate in social media 41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility 19% of smartphone owners have at least one health app on their phone 31% of health care organizations have specific social media guidelines in writing

Benefits of Social Media

Valuable

resource for educating patients and healthcare consumers

communication among healthcare providers and consumers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEp0e69b4A g

Enhances

Benefits (cont.)
Attracting

new patients and broader

audiences
Updates

regarding safety issues or crises

http://live.wsj.com/video/hospitals-listening-topatients-on-social-media/4344618D-77AA-4F0E83E6-124EA075A0BE.html#!4344618D-77AA-4F0E83E6-124EA075A0BE

Job Application Process

How

it helps employers:

Social media has a number of benefits for businesses and organizations when it comes to recruitment. Pre-screening and contacting potential candidates is made more straightforward with social media.

Job Applications (cont.)

How

it helps you:

Many institutions and nurse leaders want to develop and maintain a cultural climate of continuing professional competency. Opportunity to introduce yourself to potential employers and showcase your value to their organizations.

Succeed with Social Media

Employees

credit social networking sites with helping them land a job Social networks are a top source for quality candidates Employers are investing more in social media as a hiring tool Recruiting departments use multiple networks to reach and engage job seekers

Dos and Donts

Do:

Exercise good judgment Use social media for professional networking and evidence based practice Understand policies and regulations Verify anything and everything Report any inappropriate media

Dos and Donts (cont.)

Dont:

Assume everything is private Disclose private health information Transmit anything electronically regarding a patient Post names or anything that can lead to identification Use personal devices Post if you are unsure

Negative Risks

In 2010, 46 Boards of Nursing were surveyed, and 33 of those reported receiving complaints about nurses posting photos or information about patients online, according to the NCSBN. The NCSBN urges nurses need to keep in mind that they could be reported to their Board of Nursing, and in turn be investigated and/or undergo disciplinary action. It is also important to remember that information on the Internet that has been deleted can still be retrieved (according to NCSBN)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QQpde9tSu8

Inappropriate Use of Social Media

Scenario

1 Bob

Inappropriate Use of Social Media (cont.)

Scenario

NCLEX Review

The best description of telehealth is which of the following?

A. B. C. D.

Telehealth is part of communication and information system technology. Telehealth seeks to deliver quality care to patients in remote places. Telehealth assists nurses to deliver care to patients in underserved areas. Telehealth removes time and distance barriers from the delivery of health care services or related health care activities.

Telehealth

Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications.

NCLEX Review

Which of the following is not one of the ANA Principles for Social Networking?
A. B.

C.
D.

Follow ethical guidelines Observe HIPAA rules and regulations Always use a pseudonym on social media sites Hold other health care professionals accountable for their social media presence

ANA Principles for Social Networking

1. 2. 3. 4.

5.

6.

Nurses must not transmit or place online individually identifiable patient information. Nurses must observe ethically prescribed professional patient nurse boundaries. Nurses should understand that patients, colleagues, institutions, and employer may view postings. Nurses should take advantage of privacy settings and seek to separate personal and professional information online. Nurses should bring content that could harm a patients privacy, rights, or welfare to the attention of appropriate authorities. Nurses should participate in developing institutional policies governing online conduct.

NCLEX Review
HIPAA
A. B.

security and privacy regulations apply to:

Attending physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals Health information managers, information systems staff and other ancillary personnel only Anyone working in the facility Only staff that have direct patient contact

C. D.

HIPAA

Who must comply with HIPAA the following entities must follow The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.

Most health care providers, including doctors, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, and pharmacies, and third parties that perform certain functions or activities that require the use of personal health information including, for example, claims processing or administration.

HIPAA guarantees patients rights to inspect their own medical records, correct errors, inquire who has access to their records and seek penalties if their medical information has been used inappropriately. Protected Health Information (PHI) is any information transmitted and/or maintained in any form, including prescription records, billing information, patient profiles and oral communications on the phone or during counseling. HIPAA requires healthcare professionals to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of all PHI.

NCLEX Review

When is the patients written authorization to release information required?

A.

B. C. D.

In most cases, when patient information is going to be shared with anyone for reasons other that treatment, payment or health care operations Upon admission to a hospital When patient information is to be shared among two or more clinicians When patient information is used for billing a private insurer

Patient Consent

In August 2002, the Privacy Rule's requirement that providers ask patients for consent to disclose any personal information was replaced with "voluntary consent" for certain functions viewed as essential to providing quality health care.

Continuing to require mandatory consent for these functions was regarded as impractical and a potential impediment to delivering care.

Permission from the patient is asked or not asked at the discretion of the providers for the purposes of treatment, payment, and health care.

Examples include pharmacists filling prescriptions, hospitals reviewing patient notes from a referring physician, telemedicine, and emergency medical situations.

NCLEX Review

A nurse was frustrated about her day at work and when home and vented on Facebook about her incompetent co-workers; which area(s) was she non-compliant?
A. B. C. D. E.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Facility policies where you work State common law and regulatory protections for patient confidentiality American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics Both B. and D.

Facility Policy
Mayo

Clinic OSU Medical Center Cleveland Clinic Vanderbilt University Medical Center Sutter Health

NCLEX Review

Stephanie is an experienced nurse working on an oncology unit. One of her patients, Jane, keeps an online blog outlining her battle with cancer. In one of Jane's recent posts she stated "I'm frustrated that nothing seems to treat my pain effectively. With nothing alleviating my pain, I feel like my depression is only worsening." Stephanie saw Jane's post and responded "I understand your last few days have been difficult. Hopefully the new depression medication in combination with the increased dose of pain medication will provide you with some relief. I look forward to seeing you at your appointment on Thursday." The next day it occurred to Stephanie that she may have violated Jane's private patient information. Considering the case study above, what should Stephanie's first step be? A. Nothing. She was only supporting and showing empathy towards Jane's situation. Not to mention, the blog is only accessible by people Jane selected. B. Attempt to delete the post as soon as possible. C. Report herself immediately to her employer's board of nursing. D. Get Jane's verbal permission to share those aspects of her health information.

NCLEX Review
An

employer notices from health care insurance records that an employees wife just gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and the employer sends a text to congratulate the employee. Is this a violation of HIPAA?

NCLEX Review
A

hospital sends out an email to former patients informing them about a cardiac facility that can provide a baseline EKG for $39 when the communication is not for the purpose of providing treatment advice. Is this a violation of HIPAA?

NCLEX Review
My

auntie and I are very close. We go out to lunch every week, and she always asks me, "How's work?" I tell her about the patients that I've been caring for. I never mention their names, so the patients are de-identified. That's okay, right?

NCLEX Review

You're an employee of the medical center's Environmental Services department. One day, when you're working in the Emergency Room, you see the ambulance bring in your neighbor, Bill. You hear someone say that Bill will be taken to the Operating Room. Bill's wife also works for the medical center in another department.

True or False: You should call Bill's wife right away and tell her that he is in the Emergency Room

NCLEX Review
What

kind of personally identifiable health information is protected by HIPAA privacy rule?

A. B. C.

D.
E.

Paper Electronic The spoken word All of the above None of the above

NCLEX Review
A

visitor who asks for a patient by name may receive the following information EXCEPT:
A. B. C. D.

Patient name Patient condition in general terms (e.g. stable, critical, etc.) Patient room number Patient diagnosis

NCLEX Review
What
A. B. C. D.

is the standard for accessing patient information?

A need to know for the performance of your job If a physician asks you the diagnosis of the patient Just because you are curious You are a relative of the patient

NCLEX Review
Confidential

information must not be shared with another unless the recipient has:
A.
B. C. D.

An OK from a doctor The need to know Permission from Human Resources All of the above

Conclusion

With the ever-growing scope of social networking, how can nurses effectively manage associated risks while enjoying the benefits of this media? Use common sense and keep the following considerations in mind

Does the content have the potential to damage a career or impair working relationships? Will the content breach your patients trust or be detrimental to your employer? In general, carefully consider the potential for harm to others as well as yourself.