Jacobs School Social Media Guidelines

Photos taken in health care environments can expose you and the university to HIPAA violations. Never disclose protected health information (PHI) on social media.

If you are in doubt about whether you can take/post photos or videos from your location, do not take or post the photograph or video.

This non-exhaustive list includes many of our partner institutions and hospitals. Do not take or post photographs from any of these locations:

As medical students and physicians, we should represent our profession well. Adhere to rules of ethical and professional conduct at all times.

Carefully consider content and exercise good judgment; anything you post can have immediate and/or long-term consequences and carry the potential for significant public impact and viral spread of content. Therefore, all statements must be true and not misleading. Make sure you differentiate opinions from facts.

Avoid interacting with current or past patients through social media, and avoid requests to give medical advice through social media.

Disclose yourself and provide an appropriate disclaimer that distinguishes your views from those of the clinic, hospital system and/or university with which you are associated (while at the same time being careful not to violate any social media policy that you may be subject to by such organizations). Without specific direction from the appropriate personnel, you may not present yourself as an official representative or spokesperson for said organizations. Also, be sure to reveal any conflicts of interest and be honest about your credentials as a medical student or physician (resident or otherwise).

Do not use defamatory, vulgar, libelous and potentially inflammatory language, and do not display language or photographs that imply disrespect for any individual or group due to age, race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, marital status, genetic information, military status, or any other protected characterization or group.

Comply with copyright laws. Make sure you have the right to use material before publishing.

Do not discuss confidential information and follow standards of patient privacy and confidentiality and regulations outlined in Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g). Remember that you could personally face a HIPAA violation if there are enough details in the post for patients to recognize themselves.

Political endorsements or advocacy positions should generally be avoided.

Remember use of social networking sites or weblogs can carry legal and professional ramifications. Comments made in an unprofessional manner can be used in legal, professional or other disciplinary proceedings (i.e., hearings before a State Medical Licensing Board).

Read the social media site’s terms of use and privacy policy. Be cognizant of continuous changes in these sites and closely monitor the privacy settings of the social network accounts to optimize your privacy and security.

These lists highlight some but not all issues surrounding the use of social media in health care environments and communication.