Doctors and Social Media: Personal vs. Professional Online Content

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA The topic of health care social media continues here on Healthin30, and legal expert, David Harlow, Esq, Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answers a series of questions focusing on the legal aspects of physicians engaging in social media. Q: Barbara – In order to maintain professional boundaries, the American Medical Association recommends a separation between personal and professional content online. If inappropriate…

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Doctors and Social Media: What are the appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA   Continuing on the topic of physicians use with social media, David Harlow, Esq, Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answers a series of questions focusing on the legal aspects of physicians engaging in social media. Q: Barbara – What are appropriate boundaries for the doctor/patient relationship? A: David Harlow, Esq. – Most physicians and authorities agree that a health care professional should…

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Doctors and Social Media – Two Photos Which Could Prompt State Boards to Investigate

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA The following photos were sent to me by Dr. Ryan Greysen, and are published in the latest issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, “Online Professionalism Investigations by State Medical Boards: First, Do No Harm,” by S. Ryan Greysen, MD, MHS, MA; David Johnson, MA; Terry Kind, MD, MPH; Katherine C. Chretien, MD; Cary P. Gross, MD, MPH; Aaron Young, PhD; and Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, MS. Dr. Ryan…

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State Medical Boards Addresses Inappropriate Online Physician Behaviors

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA A new report to be released tomorrow in the Annals of Internal Medicine, “Online Professionalism Investigations by State Medical Boards: First, Do No Harm,” by S. Ryan Greysen, MD, MHS, MA; David Johnson, MA; Terry Kind, MD, MPH; Katherine C. Chretien, MD; Cary P. Gross, MD, MPH; Aaron Young, PhD; and Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, MS, addresses which inappropriate online behaviors would prompt investigation by state medical boards. The…

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Social Media Health: 3 Key Elements to Use When Engaging in Social Media

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA There are some health care professionals who refuse to engage in social media and there are others who have mastered it.  And yet there are some who just don’t understand it. There’s a photo of a clinician on Facebook holding a cigarette. It may not seem like much, but when it’s a clinician at an academic medical center with a Facebook account which reveals place of employment, that changes…

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