Use of Social Media

This code on social media use shall apply to all facilities and health care personnel covered by the enabling order, the Joint Administrative Order No. 2016-0002.

1. Definition of Social Media. This refers to electronic communication, websites or applications through which users connect, interact or share information or other content with other individuals, collectively part of an online community. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Blogs, Social Networking Sites.

2. Posting sensitive information or pictures of patients without consent in social media shall be penalized in accordance to Section 27 ofAct No. 10173 on improper Disposal of Personal Information and Sensitive Personal Information of Data Privacy Act 2012.

3. Administrative Responsibilities. Social media activity of all physicians, employees and other health care provider, students, or residents in training, practicing their profession, working or fulfilling academic and clinical requirements within the health facility, whether temporary or permanent shall be monitored by the institution to check for privacy breach. Moreover, health facilities shall have guidelines on social media use.

Unprofessional behavior or misinformation witnessed in social media that violates patient privacy or privacy of other individuals shall be reported to appropriate authorities.

4. Responsible Social Media Use of Health Care Professionals. Health care professionals shall always be mindful of their duties to the patient, community, profession and colleagues thus take into account that content once posted can be disseminated to others.

5. Health Education and Promotion. Health related information, education and promotion for advocacy purposes when shared shall be cautious.

Social media shall not be used to dispense specific medical diagnosis, advice, treatment or projection but shall consist of general opinions only. Use of social media should include statements that a person should not rely on the advice given online, and that medical concerns are best addressed in the appropriate setting.

For social media use to crowd source support, identity of the patient can only be revealed to the support group upon patient's consent. Confidentiality of data shall still be upheld by removing any information or features that are easily identifiable to the patient.

6. Professional Guidelines for Social Media Use for Persons Involved in the PHIE. A health care professional shall strive to develop, support and maintain a privacy culture in the health facility. He or she shall abide by the social media use policy of the institution.

Health care professionals shall advise the patients of their privacy rights and encourage them not to post in social media any activity or confidential information such as but not limited to medical diagnosis and laboratory results that may put them at risk.

Health care professionals shall conduct himself or herself in social media or online the same way that he or she would in public, mindful of acting in a manner befitting his profession, or that would inspire trust in the service he or she provides, especially if the individual has not separated his or her professional and personal accounts in social media.

Health care professionals shall refrain from using the name, logo, or other symbol of an institution without authority in his or her social media activity. An individual shall not identify himself or herself as a representative or an institution in social media without being authorized to do so.

Health care professionals shall refrain from posting, sharing, or using photos or videos taken within the facility that will violate their right to privacy.

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