Social media networks can be used by healthcare organizations to advertise their services as well as communicate with patients and get them more involved in their own healthcare. However, there’s always a risk that Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules and patient privacy will be violated on social media networks. To ensure HIPAA compliance, healthcare organizations must implement social media-related security protocols that adhere to the regulation. Here are some important tips to ensure that your healthcare business complies with HIPAA regulations on social media use.
Posting patients’ protected health information (PHI) on social media without the patients’ permission or authority, even if it’s accidentally, is a violation of HIPAA regulations. This includes actions like:
The healthcare industry should never treat HIPAA violations lightly. If an employee is found guilty of breaking a HIPAA rule, they could face fines between $100 and $1.8 million depending on the severity of the violation. They could also face a 10-year jail sentence, lawsuits, job termination, and revocation of their medical license.
There are simple ways to avoid HIPAA violations while using social media:
By taking the steps outlined in this article, you can create a safe and confidential environment for all patients. Feel free to call us today if you need help in creating policies and procedures to ensure your staff’s compliance with HIPAA social media rules, or if you need help managing the IT and privacy of your healthcare organization.
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