Newly released guidelines from the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States warn physicians and other healthcare providers to err on the side of caution and professionalism in all cases when using social media, especially when dealing with current or past patients or the public at large.

Observe all rules & regulations in all encounters whether in the office or online.  HIPAA regulations should be applied to all interactions whether on Facebook or in one-to-one communications like email.  Because of this, it’s important to bear in mind whether you can confirm the identity of the person or group with whom you are communicating, and whether they can confirm yours as well.  Monitor yourself for professionalism in email communications within the doctor-patient relationship.

Don’t be personal friends with current or past patients on personal social networking sites such as Facebook.  This blurs the line of professional versus personal relationship status, and can have unintended consequences.  Maintain separate logins for social media sites for personal use and for professional use, and don’t post anything to either site that can violate any privacy principles, or undermine your integrity as a physician.  Even on accounts used for personal reasons, don’t post photos or comments that will reflect poorly on you in a professional light, such as images of intoxication, or other aberrant behavior.

Above all, it’s important to observe professional ethics and demeanor on social media and professional websites at all times, even on sites that are designated for providers of health care, as these posts and comments have the potential to be disseminated to a wider audience very quickly and can spread unchecked to audiences for whom they were completely unintended.

When posting to video venues, make sure nothing you use can be used to identify a patient or case, and take care always to protect your own privacy by not posting personal information about yourself.

Three principles should be observed at all times when posting either on personal or professional sites, including:

Candor—disclose conflicts of interest and be open about your credentials

Privacy—protect patient identity and information in appropriate manners

Integrity—be honest, not misleading.  If posting an opinion, clearly state that it’s your opinion.  When posting, stick with peer-reviewed sources.  Indicate whether your comments are “based upon scientific studies, expert consensus, professional experience or opinion.”

A few bits of advice from the guidelines:

“It is the responsibility of the physician to ensure, to the best of their ability, that professional networks for physicians are secure and that only verified and registered users have access to the information.”

Don’t:

• Post anything that patients can construe as medical advice.
• Post photos of patients, use code names or room numbers, or anything that can be used to identify a patient.
• Post photos or information about yourself that would be a detriment to your integrity as a physician or as a representative of the healthcare community.

Do:

• Reveal any existing conflicts of interest and be honest about your credentials as a physician.
• Act professionally and take caution not to post information that is ambiguous or that could be misconstrued or taken out of context.
• Use separate personal and professional accounts.
• Report unprofessional behavior.
• Use same standards and ethics online and off.
• Use other social media guidelines from employers or professional associations as a guide.

If you’re a moderator on a website or forum:

• Police others’ comments, deleting anything that could violate HIPAA or any of the principles set forth in the guidelines.

Remember, State Licensing Boards can levy penalties for posting derogatory remarks, unprofessional behavior, online depiction of intoxication, discriminatory language and practices, inappropriate communication with patients, misrepresentation of credentials, and other non-professional online or offline demeanor.  Repercussions can range from a letter of reprimand, to a revocation of your license.

Ultimately, you should use the same standards on the internet and in social media that you use in the practice and professional arenas.  Not doing so can bring sanctions and big headaches both personally and professionally.  In order to avoid this, I recommend that every physician and provider download and read the guidelines themselves so they will have a clear idea of the pitfalls of misusing social media either intentionally or unintentionally.