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Use of Social Media

  • Social media account monitoring for doctors and nurses shall be done by health facilities to monitor privacy breaches.
  • Health care professionals must ensure that in his or her social media activity, there is no law violated, including copyright, libel and cybercrime laws.
  • Online platforms shall not be used to rant, bash, or post informal, personal or derogatory comments about patients or other health care professionals.
  • Information posted online shall be beneficial to the Filipino people. Health care professionals shall refrain from any activity which spreads or tends to spread misinformation.
  • 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.
  • Information that will compromise patient confidentiality and privacy shall not be posted online.This may include comments which patients are described with enough sufficient detail to be identified, referring to patients in a degrading or demeaning manner.
  • Disclosing identifiable information about a patient including taking of selfies, groufies or videos during encounters with patients that include patients' body parts, surgical specimens or that show patients in the background without their consent or any information that will compromise patient's dignity and privacy shall not be posted online.
  • Health care professionals shall maintain a professional boundary between patients. Online contact with patients or former patients blurs the distinction between a professional and personal relationship thus must refrain from adding patients in their personal social networking sites.
  • Health care professionals shall always take into account that content once posted can be disseminated to others.

References:

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See Also