Social Media Risks To Patient Information

Running head: Social media risks to patient information
Social media risks to patient information
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Social media risks to patient information
1
What is protected health information (PHI)?
According to Health Insurance portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), protected
health information (PHI) refers to any information regarding heath status, health care or payment
related to health care that are either collected or created by a covered Entity. This is interpreted
as a part of patient’s payment or medical history. Social media usage can perpetuate the
disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) by threatening the liability of healthcare
providers to safeguard PHI. Thus, Healthcare providers and Nursing professionals need to
recognize and practice by adhering to the published professional guidelines on social media use
and understand the settings and policies of any media they use.
What are privacy, security, and confidentiality?
These refers to sensitive information that are kept private. Medical or health privacy
refers to the maintenance of confidentiality or security of patient’s health information or medical
records. It is important to protect patient’s data and keep their information confidential. Every
patients have the right to privacy and they have the right to decide to whom and when their
information can be disclosed. The involvement of Interprofessional healthcare teams is effective
as they function collaboratively to find solution to any health care problems and thus, to mitigate
any problems related to protection of electronic health information, their active involvement is
highly preferred.
What evidence relating to social media usage and PHI do interprofessional
team members need to be aware of?
Patient privacy violations are a serious concern for nurses as they constitute a violation of
professional standards and may contribute to termination or suspension. Privacy concerns as self-