Patient Privacy in an Increasingly Connected World

[Erica Frank]

Now more than ever, patient confidentially is a top concern for those in the health industry. With the implementation of EMRs throughout the country, hospitals and clinics must be diligent in securing patient data. Simple guidelines for clinicians, such as not talking about patients and cases, have been in place for as long as most patients can remember, but as social media continues to become a regular part of the daily grind, how do sites like Twitter and Facebook impact the security of our data? Clinicians entering the workforce right now essentially “grew up” on Facebook, and while they may not talk about their patients to others, can we be sure that they're not Tweeting or posting work-related content?

A story today in HealthLeaders Media looks at this very concept, citing that while new forms of social media are being introduced and used, employees in healthcare settings go through HIPAA training and sign confidentiality agreements. Without needing to be explicit, these guidelines extend to social media.

It seems intuitive that healthcare employees wouldn't post patient or work-related information, but some hospitals are being proactive in order to mitigate this potential problem. Do you feel confident that your medical data is being kept confidential, especially knowing the popularity of social media sites?

http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/page-1/MAG-257359/Containing-the-...

[Shannon]

Regulatory bodies should take a closer look at the cross section of HIPAA and social channels and hospitals should definetly not "assume" employees will not use those channels, intentionally or accidently, to share patient info. I, for one, am less confident in the privacy of my information now that peoples lives are increasingly played out online.

[Palmer Reuther]

Yes, social media is (or should be) an inherent part of the EMR movement as that's where patients are increasingly going to for health information and to communicate with others about their experiences with certain disease types or procedures.