Smart Social Media Policy for Healthcare

Smart Social Media Policy for HealthcareSmart Social Media Policy for HealthcareSmart Social Media Policy for HealthcareApril 16, 2012 BoernerIn California, a hospital employee posts a patients chart to Facebook and makes fun of the patient for seeking STD treatment and birth control.In Rhode Island, an ER doctor, distraught over the death of a patient, shares that shes heartbroken, switching the patients gender and how she died to protect her identity.In Wisconsin, an ultrasound tech posts that shes thrilled that one of her patients is having triplets.These stories demonstrate the use of social media in the workplace. And all three are violations of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that could nab their employers up to a $50,000 fine.HIPAA Rules in a Social Media WorldBreaching patient confidentiality is a total no-go, and it has less to do with HIPAA than ur standards, said Will Weider, vice president and CIO of Wisconsin-based Ministry Health Care a nd Affinity Health System. At this point, I dont know that there are many grey areas.Indeed, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and other social media platformshave transformed the way hospitals market themselves and how patients find them.But when healthcare workers recklessly tweet, post to Facebook and share patients private health issues verbunden, it not only violates HIPAA, it also hurts the healthcare industrys ability to attract and retain patients.A clearly laid out social media policycan ward against such snafus. Yet only about 20 percent of hospital systems currently have a social media presence, with a larger proportion operating under general social media policies.Weiders policy, which is considered by some to be one of the most forward-thinking in the industry, went online in 2009.What that means, says David Harlow, principal of The Harlow Group, a Boston-based health care law and consulting firm, is that social media-naive healthcare groups may think a simple ban is preferable to having actual social media guidelinesin place.That doesnt work really well because people just use Facebook or Twitter on their smartphones, said Harlow, who blogs at HealthBlawg. They can snap a picture and post something inappropriate maybe even more easily from their phone than they can from a desktop computer.Social media in the workplace requires clear expectations and policies. Heres what every social media policy for healthcare organizations should include.Zero ToleranceEverything from posting a picture of an ER waiting room - where a victim of domestic violence could be sitting - to mentioning anything that identifies a patient, including their condition, prognosis or, as described above, how many kids they are going to have, has the potential to violate HIPAA rules.Its inappropriate to even acknowledge that someone is receiving care here, said Weider. A patients medical experience is their own to share and not something employees should ever disclose, especially on so mething like Twitter.Never AnonymousNext, explain to staff that no matter how well you try to camouflage a patients identity in buchen to share a story online, youre likely to fail.Were literally doubling the amount of data available online every couple of days, said Harlow. Something thats de-identified today will not be de-identified next week. Thats why people who blog about patient stories really need to come up with fictitious patients or composites, rather than basing their posts on actual patient histories.Never PrivateWhats a private network? asked Ed Bennett, a social media expert who also works with the University of Maryland Medical Center and sits on the advisory board for the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media.What if you only have three Facebook friends in your group? What about 300 or 3,000? At some point, you cross the threshold.Since people can retweet, share and pass along whatever someone writes on a social network, your social media policy must communicate that whatever employees type into a keyboard is public - and, with online caches, permanent.The way we approach it is lovingly, the way you would with a family member, said Weider. When staff tweet about their work, they can assume it is being read by our patients and their fellow employees.Keep It RespectfulPatients should never see staff tweeting or updating their Facebook status. Theres never a time when you want to be looking at Facebook in front of a patient, said Weider. Thats never perceived as a positive thing. But on breaks and away from a patient, its fine.Keep It AliveFinally, its not enough just to have a social media policy, said Harlow. You have to train and periodically remind staff of it.Weiders Affinity Health System did an initial in-service on its policy and addresses social media in the workplace in annual employee refreshers.Harlow suggests revisiting the policy and offering staff refreshers every six months, as well as including your social media policy in employee onboarding sessions.You want the policy to be really alive among the staff, said Harlow.Pay OffOnce you have a social media policy that works to keep patient information secure, you get a surprising result, said Weider.Theres a huge potential benefit for our organization, he said. I wanted to attract tech-savvy employees who know how to leverage this technology. I didnt want a policy that would scare away the workforce I try to attract.Even better, says Weider, is that, People love working here, and they share the things happening at the hospital and clinic on social media.

Despite #MeToo, most women dont see a change in the workplace

Despite MeToo, fruchtwein women dont see a change in the workplaceDespite MeToo, most women dont see a change in the workplaceA disruption rumbled through American popular culture over the last year as the MeToo movement proved how widespread sexual misconduct is in the workplace and beyond. But despite heightened awareness about gender-based abuse and harassment, it seems that little discernible change for women has taken root at arbeitszimmer buildings across the country.Fifty-seven percent of women believe that in 2018 things stayed the same for female professionals in the U.S., according to womens career site Fairygodanfhrer December 2018 report on gender equality at work.That trend aligns with other recent surveys that arrived at similar conclusions by NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that in 2018, the same number of women_nearly two-thirds felt their male colleagues did not treat them as equals as when a similar survey was conducted in 1999. And, according to a report b y Pew Research Center, only half of the respondents thought men getting away with sexual harassment and assault in the workplace was a major problem and 20% believed the punktlicht on sexual harassment would actually result in fewer opportunities for working women down the line.If women will lose out on promotions and other opportunities because of a climate that discourages sexual misconduct, that may be because of blowback from men who are afraid of engaging with female colleagues, lest they be perceived as predators. When Fairygodboss surveyed men about MeToos impact on the workplace in April, the results showed that 17% of men were less likely to engage with a woman because of the movement. Similarly, Pew Research Center found that 55% of men felt it was harder for them to engage with women at work because of the new focus on sexual harassment.Fairygodboss co-founder and CEO Georgene Huang told Ladders that men choosing not to be alone with female colleagues to avoid being accus ed of misconduct poses its own legal questions. Its true that sexual harassment is against the law, but so is gender-based discrimination.You cant treat employees differently on the basis of sex, Huang said.Though men refusing to work with women will only contribute to inequalities, already, it seems theres a discrepancy in how both genders treat one another at work. According to Fairygodboss, more women reported being promoted by a female boss than men, while more men reported being promoted by a male boss that women. That tendency becomes a problem when women fill almost half of entry-level positions but only comprise 22% of workers in the C-suite, according to LeanIn.Orgs and McKinsey and Companys 2018 Women in the Workplacereport.Its not good news that our inherent biases are to promote people who are like ourselves, said Huang.There are ways to help women in the workplace - not only to prevent sexual harassment, but also to encourage them to stay in their jobs, Huang said. She called parental leave a no-brainer, but she tried to dispel misconceptions about which incentives women want most. Traditional values often inform our notion that women are most attracted to a job because of flexibility and work-life balance, but Huang indicated womens first priority is compensation.I think our data shows that equal pay is like the top of the list, Huang said. And yes, flexibility at work is really important.Huang expected more women to report change at their workplaces because of all the conversations she had seen about trending topics that represented awareness about sexual misconduct and womens lack of representation. She said she was surprised by how many women believed nothing had shifted since last year.But in her own view, cultural norms are transforming, though the tide is slow. Even the Google walkouts, she said, were a sign of a rising consciousness that did not exist a decade ago.I have to believe that the norms are shifting, Huang said. It may not be so mething thats fair to measure in one year.

The Power of Job Search Prioritization

The Power of Job Search PrioritizationThe Power of Job Search Prioritization1Finding a new job can take a lot of time and effort. How can you maximize whatever time you have available to get everything done? The truth is, you cant. Thats why its so important to be clear about your dream job- so you can maximize on your job search prioritization that will help you leapfrog your competition.Keep reading for five job search prioritization tips to boost productivity and get ahead in your job search1. Focus your search.Dont waste your time applying for jobs that arent likely to provide the salary, benefits, or growth opportunity you want- or that youre leid qualified for. Instead, spend that time on activities that are more likely to pay off, such as reaching out to colleagues in your field or applying for freelance, temporary, or contract positions at companies that can use your skills and expertise.2. Set daily goals.Set three goals every day and prioritize them A, B, and C. Make your g oals SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely). For exampleA) Identify five potential employers by 500 p.m.B) Ask two people I know for connections in my desired field or company.C) Read three chapters of a self-help or job search-related book.3. Block out your time.Instead of making a to-do list, group job search activities into categories. Block out time in your schedule to work on one category at a time instead of flitting between tasks. Keep in mind that some activities need to be done during work hours, while others can be done after hours. Categories might includeSearching- Looking for whos hiring by using job seeker websites, classified ads, company websites (for job postings and application procedures), or job placement centers.Writing- Updating your resume, writing a 60-second elevator pitch, emailing friends and colleagues (especially those employed by companies where youd like to work), or sending private messages on facebook inc to ask for help, be it a dvice or connections.Networking- Making connections at live events and on LinkedIn and other social media sites.Following up and following through- Calling or emailing networking contacts or interviewers you havent yet heard back from, as well as following through on your promises to send resumes or other information.Researching- Researching trends in your industry and doing your homework on companies prior to interviews.Honing skills- Perform job search prioritization by attending a local gathering of Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills or working on a certification.Meetings/Interviews- Got an interview? Schedule another meeting or two while youre out This may also be a good time to run any needed errands.4. Give yourself a break.Work at your job search prioritization with the same energy as you would work at your desired job, but also give yourself regular booster breaks. Plan to work without distraction for 60 to 90 minutes and then take a break. Choose to do some thing less mentally taxing like tidying your office area, checking your social media feeds, or playing your favorite game app. Go for a run. Meet a friend for lunch. Then get back to work. Taking a break will refresh your mind, body, and spirit and youll be more productive as a result.5. Be mindful of your happiness. Arecent groundbreaking study found a strong relationship between well-being and productivity. Participants asked to watch a 10-minute video clip of a stand-up comedian were 10-12 percent more productive than the control group. So go ahead and watch that funny video clip your friend posted on Facebook. Or start a gratitude journal and add one thing for which youre thankful every day. Hopefully, one day soon, youll be able to add, Landed my dream job.Findmore job search tips hereReaders, how have you accomplished job search prioritization? Tell us in the comment section belowDonna Smallin Kuper is a cleaning and productivity expert who writes for Quill.com. She is also th e author of a dozen best-selling books on simplifying life as The One Minute Organizer.