Smartphone and Social Media Usage in the Healthcare Profession - Research Paper Example

SMARTPHONE AND SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE IN THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSION Smartphone and social media usage in the healthcare profession Introduction Electronic personal and professional communication is on the rise. This is the result of an explosion of social media platforms in the last few years. Blogs, chat-sites, forums, photo and video sharing sites are avenues; individuals can now broadcast their social lives over the internet. Despite it exciting nature, social media poses a risk given that instantaneous posting allows little time for content analysis. This can create workplace conflicts as well as act as substantiation in court, leading to costly litigations. Like everyone else, nurses are free to use social media as a personal expression tool. A medical practitioner is free to have a FaceBook page, a Twitter huddle among others. In their article, Guidelines for using electronic and social media: The regulatory perspective, Nancy and Dawn (2012) encourage nurses to use social media for personal and professional connections, but avoid mentioning patient information at all costs. Eira I. Klich-Heartt also encourages nurses to use social media as a way of seeking outside motivation from friends and family in his 2010 article, Social networking and HIPAA: Ethical concerns for nurses. The same line of thinking echoes in Schmitt et al (2012) article titled Social media use in nursing education, which urges for the introduction of technology in nursing training to curb incidences of misuse of patient data, and costly litigations. This paper seeks to investigate Smartphone and social media usage in the healthcare profession by applying professional, ethical and legal principles. HIPAA regulatory requirements To put the issue of social media and Smartphone usage into context, it is essential to understand HIPAA requirements on the same. HIPAA privacy rule 164.502 states that a covered entity or any of its associate may not use or disclose cosseted health information, except as permitted or required by sub-article C of 160 of this rule (hhs.gov). Sub article C outlines the circumstances under which, a medic or a medical entity can release a patient’s personal information. One of those circumstances includes a scenario where the patient is a criminal on the run. In such a scenario, the disclosure is considered as whistle blowing (hhs.gov). Sub article 160 also allows a medic to disclose a patient’s medical data if the said patient has committed a criminal act against the said medic (hhs.gov). From the above summary of HIPAA’s regulatory framework, it comes out clearly that the exceptions for disclosure are highly limited to criminal activity on the part of the patient. In essence therefore, social media and Smartphone use by medics seems to read from different pages with HIPAA. While social media is geared towards sharing one’s surrounding environment (a hospital in the case of a nurse/medic), HIPAA overrules such disclosure and can lead to serious consequences including license cancellation. However, as a medic, it is safe to argue that, while heavily frowned upon by HIPAA; social media usage has its share of benefits to a medic. Advantages of Smartphones and social media in healthcare From a medic’s perspective, Smartphones and social media can be a great mental relaxation tool, which in turn helps one assist patients better. By nature of their work, healthcare professionals have to work long hours. This causes mental and emotional strain, which if unchecked can lead to reduced concentration, and negative consequences to the patients. With the advent of social media, a medic can now get in touch with family and friends and release some work related steam. A light moment with a friend while on a ten minute break can go a long way in rejuvenating a medic. For instance, in this scenario, as a nurse on night shift, dealing with patients with varied ailments, the mind is tired. When a friend texts to tease me on how she is enjoying herself at a concert, it offers a moment of relief away from the dull pain-filled hospital environment. Without such light moments via text and social media, it would be hard to concentrate for long hours without making a mistake that can hurt a patient. As such, Smartphones and social media usage by medics can go a long way in improving the quality of care medics offer to their patients. As Klich-Heartt (2010) puts it, technology has helped nurses share experiences, discern hard situations and cope better with the day to day challenges of the nursing profession. Smartphone and social media usage also offer medics a chance to improve on their knowledge of privacy rules, and give the regulator a chance to fine tune regulations. Medics fear the consequences of HIPAA rules and more often than not, end up not giving the regulator a chance to improve on existing rules. By taking photos with Jerod, and sharing them with my friend, I have opened up room for debate on privacy regulations. The issue is that, Jerod is a public figure and the information I have shared is easily available to the public. It is therefore debatable as to whether my actions are justifiable or not. Whatever actions HIPAA takes against me in case the photos trace back to me, it will have opened a door for more debate on the issue of privacy, and help improve the rules. Smartphones and social media also present an avenue for quick patient care in times of emergency. Though a risky area, going by HIPAA regulations, communication technology has made it possible for medics to access critical patient information through the social cyber space (Ventola, 2014). For instance, by taking photos with Jerod and sharing them with my friend, word can quickly spread and reach his family. As a consequence, they can make it to the hospital quickly, and provide vital information about different aspects of his medical history. Moreover, family members of those with him on the bus will surface, as the news spread. They too will provide critical patient information that can save lives. In essence therefore, by sharing the celebrity’s photos with my friend, I have created a social buzz that will bring forth vital information to aid in his treatment. In spite of its positive uptake by healthcare professionals, Smartphone and social media usage has a number of disadvantages. These are mostly related to privacy and the risk of litigatation, and loss of license. Disadvantages of Smartphone and social media use in healthcare One of the main disadvantages of Smartphones and social media usage in healthcare is privacy. As Nancy and Dawn (2010) put it, nurses can find themselves breaking HIPAA rules with frequent use of social media. While a medic can approach social media usage with caution, the instantaneous nature of social media can lead one to make mistakes in the heat of the moment. Case in point is my scenario at the hospital. While knowing too well that sharing patient information goes against HIPAA regulations, the arrival of Jerod from the Blue Lizards is a big deal. The urge to take a quick photo with such a huge celebrity and share it with a friend overrides all rational thinking. This can lead to heavy litigation fines on the hospital and a loss of practicing license on my part. Such scenarios show that it is best for healthcare professionals to avoid Smartphone usage and social media usage, while in the line of duty. Another disadvantage of social media usage is the risk of information distortion. When medics share a patient’s information over the internet, it becomes accessible by all and sundry. Recipients of such information can easily distort it for varied reasons, leading to trauma on those involved. For instance, Jerrod’s accident occurs in the dead of night, and family members may not be aware the incident. By sharing his photos, with my friend and most probably the gossip paper, there is nothing that can prevent the paper from saying that Jerrod is dead. To them it is all about sales, and being a gossip paper, they are covered in law. However, such news can cause irreversible trauma to his close relatives. Closely related to information distortion is the possibility of damage to professional image. Negative information can reflect harmfully on HCPs, and other healthcare players (Ventola, 2014). Social media poses a threat to professional image because; it brings to the fore an individual’s personality, professional priorities, and personal values. Case in point is my snap taking moment with an unconscious lead member of a band. If the story explodes and identity is revealed, the professional ethics of the entire facility would come to question. People would think of practitioners in the facility as ratchet, and with a misguided moral compass. To avoid such risks, which carry a multiplier effect, it is best to avoid social media usage, while on duty. Conclusion From the above, it is best to state that, healthcare professionals should avoid Smartphone and social media while in the line of duty. While it has its advantages as stated in the discussion above, the risks outweigh the benefits. This conclusion is reinforced by my scenario where after sharing Jerrod’s photos with my friend, I receive a call from Gossip Gazette offering to buy the same for $ 20,000. While this may sound like a good offer given my pressing cash requirements, it can also lead to a cancellation of the hospital’s license or crippling litigations as per the Illinois Nurse Practice Act Part 1300, Section 1300. 90 (http://ilga.gov). According to the Illinois Nurse Practice Act Part 1300, Section 1300.90 (a2) a medic’s or a medical establishment’s license can be revoked or suspended due to deviation from professional standards, as laid down by the nursing act (http://ilga.gov). Moreover, colleagues at the hospital can come face to face with the reality of a tainted professional image as discussed by Lee Ventola in his 2014 article, Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices. My recommendation would be for healthcare practitioners to avoid social media communication while at work. In the event that one has to use Smartphones and social media, it is advisable to keep it strictly personal and with HIPAA regulations firmly in mind. Moreover, as Schmitt et al (2012) puts it, it would be advisable to introduce technology education in healthcare training. This way, healthcare practitioners can understand how to navigate between patient privacy and constructive us of social media. References Health Information Privacy. U.S Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/ Nancy S., Dawn M.K. (September 2012). Guidelines for using Electronic and Social Media: The Regulatory Perspective. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing; Vol 17, 3. Klich-Heartt. E.I. (April 2010).Social Networking and HIPAA: Ethical Concerns for Nurses. NurseLeader; Vol 8, 2. Professions, Occupations, and Business Operations (225 ILCS 65/) Nurse Practice Act. Illinois General Assembly. http://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1312&ChapAct=225%20ILCS%2065/&ChapterID=24&ChapterName=PROFESSIONS+AND+OCCUPATIONS&ActName=Nurse+Practice+Act. Schmitt.L.T. Susan.S. Richard G.B. (September 2012). Social Media Use in Nursing Education. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing; Vol 17, 3. Ventola C.L. (July 2014). Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices. Pharmacy and Therapeutics; Vol 39 (7), 491-499,520. Read More