What risks do we face if we embrace social media, and what if we don’t?

Health Care Social Media Ethical Concerns

Establishes more diverse social and professional networks.

Improves patient access to services.

Potential to bring benefits to patient care by engaging with the public and colleagues in public health and policy discussions.

Online behaviour might be perceived as unprofessional.

Blurs traditional boundaries.

Raises ethical questions about patient/provider relationships.

Benefits Risks

Social media use in healthcare brings with it

ethical challenges

Relationships between HCPS and

patients that are not based around clinical

care can raise a number of significant

ethical issues.

Ethical Concern #1

Accepting Friend Requests From Patients

“Having a so-called dual relationship with a patient — that is, a financial, social or professional relationship in addition to

the therapeutic relationship — can lead to serious ethical issues and potentially

impair professional judgment. We need professional boundaries to do our job

well.”

Politely refuse and explain to the patient the reasons why it would be inappropriate for you to accept the request.

Direct friend request to your business Page on Facebook.

Troubleshoot

Ethical Concern #2

Giving Health Advice Online

What if a patient asks a clinically significant question online and expects an answer in the

same venue?

Troubleshoot

HCPs are advised to not offer direct clinical advice to a patient on a social media platform but to direct person to where they can seek help.

Ethical Concern #3 Data Security

Issue of online privacy means the ability to control patient/client data in a manner that respects the dignity and autonomy of the user.

Patient privacy breaches can cause much greater harm when occurring online than when face-to-face given the potential wide reach of social media and the permanency of digital information.

Review your responsibilities to manage and secure personal data under Data Protection Laws.

Keep under review your privacy settings for each of your social media profiles.

But be aware that this cannot guarantee confidentiality whatever privacy settings are in place.

Troubleshoot

Ethical Concern #4 Patient Confidentiality

Many improper disclosures are unintentional. Although individual pieces of information may not alone breach patient confidentiality, the sum of published information online could be sufficient to identify a patient or someone close to them.

Doctor patient confidentiality extends to social media so normal consent procedures apply.

You should inform the patient and gain their express consent, and acknowledge that consent has been obtained in any online posts.

 

Troubleshoot

Ethical Concern#5 Professional Behaviour Online

The standards expected of HCPs do not change just because they are communicating through social media

However, social media does raise new circumstances to which the established principles apply.

To maintain appropriate professional boundaries consider separating personal and professional content online. 

Ensure that the information that you publish about your services is factual and verifiable, and does not exploit patients’ vulnerability or lack of medical knowledge.

Once online, be real, be professional and be respectful.

 

Troubleshoot

Ethical Concern #6 Colleagues’ Behaviour

When you see content posted by colleagues that appears unprofessional you have a responsibility to bring that content to the attention of the individual, so that he or she can remove it and/or take other appropriate actions. 

If the behaviour significantly violates professional norms and the individual does not take appropriate action to resolve the situation, the physician should report the matter to appropriate authorities.

 

Troubleshoot

Ethical Concern #7 Conflict of Interest

When you post material online, you should be open about any conflict of interest and declare any financial or commercial interests in healthcare organisations or pharmaceutical and biomedical companies

You should disclose any relationships you have with any services or products that you review or discuss online.

 

Troubleshoot

Defamation is the act of making an unjustified

statement about a person or organisation that is

considered to harm their reputation.

Defamation law can apply to any comments posted on the web, irrespective of

whether they are made in a personal or professional

capacity.

Ethical Concern #8 Defamation

People can often feel less inhibited when posting comments online and as a result may say things they would not express in other circumstances.

Make it clear that you moderate blog and Facebook comments for defamatory material.

Posting comments under a username does not guarantee anonymity as any comments made online can be traced back to the original author.

Troubleshoot

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