You have probably seen the powerful data from Pew Internet: 80 percent of all Internet users, or nearly 60 percent of all adults in the United States,
search for health information online.
Rather than engaging with this robust online health community (often referred to as e-patients), many physicians don't participate because they're
afraid of HIPAA. This fear was a hot topic of discussion at the Third Annual Mayo Clinic Social Media Summit—and understandably so. HIPAA was written
well before the advent of the social media platforms that are now part of our everyday lives. Physicians are right to question the appropriate
use of digital and social media in health care.
Sadly, instead of seeking the answers to questions about HIPPA compliance, many doctors are simply avoiding the use of the Internet, because it is
easier not to participate than to take on what they perceive as a risk.
The good news, however, is that the HIPAA risk associated with digital media is more perception than reality. Physicians can easily mitigate the risk
by doing their homework and creating a personal digital media policy, as part of an overall digital media plan. Creating a policy to
follow will help ensure that participation in digital media is conducted in a thoughtful, HIPAA-compliant manner.
Here are five initial steps for developing a HIPAA-compliant digital media program and policy:
Pick the online platforms or applications that you are most comfortable with. As with a weight-loss program, you are more likely to stick with it if
you focus on the platforms you enjoy. Some physicians, such as pediatrician Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, otherwise known as
Seattle Mama Doc, loves blogging because it gives her the opportunity to go in depth on
issues. Others, such as
Dr. Linda Pourmassina and
Dr. Howard Luks, appreciate the brevity of Twitter. Some, including
Dr. Bryan Vartabedian and
Dr. Mike Sevilla, embrace Facebook. Other physicians prefer Q&A forums, such as
Avvo, that are specifically designed for medical providers and, as a result, offer security and ease of use out of
the gate. Write down your objectives, determine where your target audience is online, research the different platforms, and select those that best
achieve your goals and usability comfort level.
Look at what other physicians are doing online.
Many of your colleagues have already learned how to responsibly use today's most popular online social platforms and reputation-building channels in a
HIPAA-compliant manner. In addition, take advantage of conferences and webinars to learn more about the opportunities that digital media present.
After you spend time researching, create your own digital media policy. Be specific on what you will and will not do.
Some things to consider in your policy:
-
Do not post content or answer questions anonymously.
-
Do not talk about patients, even in general terms. Instead, talk about conditions and treatments. For example, "There are a number of symptoms
associated with migraines…"
-
As you get started, read your post or Q&A forum answer aloud before you post it. This will help you apply the "elevator test"—if you
wouldn't say it in public in an offline setting, don't post it online.
Keep your personal and professional online lives separate.
For example, if you want to have both a professional and personal presence on Facebook, create separate pages for each. Don't mix up your content; do
pay close attention to the privacy settings you set on each page. The same applies to Twitter. If you have a professional page on Facebook, allow and
encourage people to "like" your page.
It's OK to answer general health questions online.
Whether it's participating in secure online Q&A site, such as Avvo or offline in a Q&A at a speaking engagement, answering general
health-related queries in a public forum is permitted under HIPAA. Q&A forums are increasingly popular and powerful tools for people to learn about
conditions and treatments—particularly because Google places high value on this content and ranks it high in condition-related and doctor name search
results. When participating in online Q&A, use the same common sense and practices to ensure the privacy of your patients that you would in any
public setting. For more information, view an example of the types of
questions consumers ask doctors online.
Do you have any additional questions or comments about digital media and HIPAA?
Avvo is conducting an online survey on health care digital media and HIPAA, and we'd love to hear from you. To offer appreciation for your time (estimated to be 10 minutes) five participants
will be randomly selected and awarded $150 Amazon gift cards.
Leigh McMillan is the vice president of marketing and communications at Avvo. She has more than 15 years'
experience in digital media. Avvo is a free service (for both doctors and consumers) that offers ratings and profiles for 90 percent of licensed
doctors in the U.S. and a secure Q&A forum, which receives more than 50,000 questions and answers per month, where consumers can ask doctors general health questions.