116th Annual Convention
Date:
Time:
Location:
Saturday, October 18, 2014
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Austin Convention Center, Room 18 AB, Level 4
Title:
Social Media – Policies to Protect Your Pharmacy
ACPE # 207-000-14-206-L04-P ⋅ 0.1 CEUs
ACPE # 207-000-14-206-L04-T
Activity Type:
Speakers:
Application-based
Jessica Skelley, PharmD, BCACP, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Samford
University
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
1. Identify benefits and challenges to creating and establishing a community pharmacy social media
identity.
2. Describe commonalities of existing social media policies from national pharmacy organizations.
3. Explain the legal and social challenges that exist for health care professionals when using social media.
4. Write a policy for the appropriate use of social media by both employees of a pharmacy, and in
regards to the official business social media account.
Disclosures:
Jessica Skelley is receiving an honorarium for this program. The conflict of interest was resolved by peer
review of the slide content.
NCPA’s education staff declares no conflicts of interest or financial interest in any product or service
mentioned in this program, including grants, employment, gifts, stock holdings, and honoraria.
NCPA is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of
continuing pharmacy education. This program is accredited by NCPA for 0.1 CEUs (1.0
contact hours) of continuing education credit.
NCPA Disclosure Statement
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Office of Continuing Education makes every
effort to develop continuing education activities that are scientifically based, accurate, current, and
objectively presented. In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards
for Commercial Support NCPA has implemented a mechanism requiring everyone in a position to control
the content of an educational activity to disclose any relevant financial relationships with any
proprietary entities producing health care goods or services and mange/resolve any conflicts of interest
prior to the activity. Individuals must disclose to participants the existence or non-existence of financial
relationships.
NCPA does not view the existence of interests or relationships with commercial entities as implying bias
or decreasing the value of a presentation. It is up to the participants to determine whether the interest
or relationships influence the presenter with regard to exposition or conclusions.
If at any time during this activity you feel that there has been commercial or promotional bias, please
inform us by reflecting the information on the session evaluation form.
9/29/2014
Social Media – Policies to
Protect Your Pharmacy
Jessica W. Skelley, Pharm.D., BCACP
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University
Disclosure
I, Jessica Skelley,
– DOES NOT have a financial
interest/arrangement or affiliation with one or
more organizations that could be perceived as
a real or apparent conflict of interest in the
context of the subject of this presentation.
– DOES NOT anticipate discussing the
unapproved/investigative use of a commercial
product/device during this activity or
presentation.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees should
be able to:
1. Identify benefits and challenges to creating and
establishing a community pharmacy social media
identity
2. Describe commonalities of existing social media
policies from national pharmacy organizations
3. Explain the legal and social challenges that exist for
health care professionals when using social media
4. Write a policy for the appropriate use of social media
by both employees of a pharmacy, and in regards to
the official business social media account.
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Presentation Outline
•
•
•
•
Background
Social media and healthcare professionals
Professionalism in social media
Professional organization guidance for use
of social media
• Using social media in your pharmacy
• Creating social media policies
Background
• What is social media?
– Social media refers to the means of interactions
among people in which they create, share,
and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual
communities and networks
– Can be used by both individuals and businesses
for networking and self-promotion
– Available via multiple forms and technologies
Fun Fact: We are publishing more content (by number of
words) every single day on Facebook than is contained in
every single book published since humans ever existed!
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Background
•
Who is using it?
– 72% of adults in the US use social media sites
– The number of social media users > 65 years grew 100%
throughout 2012
– The 45-54 year age bracket is the fastest growing demographic on
both Facebook and Google+
– YouTube reaches more US adults aged 18-34 than any cable
network
•
Why does it matter to small businesses?
– 93% of marketers use social media for business
– As of 2012, effectively using Facebook and Twitter in small
businesses can make profits up to 43%
– 80% of users prefer to connect with brands on Facebook
From: http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/work-smart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-yoursocial-stra
Background
• Why does it matter to healthcare professionals?
– >40% of consumers say information found via social media
affects how they deal with their health
– 90% of respondents from 18 to 24 years of age said they
would trust medical information shared by others on their
social media networks
– 31% of health care organizations have specific social media
guidelines in writing
– 26% of all hospitals in the US participate in social media
– 30% of adults are likely to share information about their
health on social media sites with other patients, 47% with
doctors, 43% with hospitals, 38% with a health insurance
company and 32% with a drug company
– 41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a
specific doctor, hospital, or medical facility
From: http://medcitynews.com/2013/11/24-outstanding-statistics-figures-social-media-impacted-health-care-industry/
Social Media in Health Care
• Use of social media: healthcare professionals
– AMN Healthcare 2013 study: Of the 85% of healthcare
professionals who say they use social media:
• 55% use it primarily for personal purposes
• 19% use it for both personal and professional reasons
• 11% use it primarily for professional reasons
– Physicians tend to use social media less than nurses and
pharmacists
– 1/3 of healthcare professionals also join social media sites
focused exclusively on healthcare.
• Examples: Sermo, Doximity, OrthoMind, AllNurses,
DoctorsHangout.com, Ozmosis.org, Therapy Networking, Quantia
MD, PharmQD
Fun Fact: In a survey of practicing physicians, approximately one third of physicians who use social networking reported receiving a friend request from a patient or a patient’s family member
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Social Media in Health Care
• Numerous issues can result from a healthcare
professional using social media
– Issues typically relate to patient privacy, fraud and abuse, taxexempt status, and licensing
• Degrees of online professionalism misconduct: (in
order of decreasing seriousness)
– Breach of law
– Speech/photos that are legal, but likely to get you into official trouble
with institutions such as hospitals and professional organizations
– Speech/photos that are neither illegal nor likely to get you into
official trouble, but may make obtaining a residency and a practice
position more difficult, and may call your character/fitness to practice
into doubt if seen by patients
Breach of Law
• HIPAA violations can occur without disclosing actual PHI.
– The test is whether anyone could reasonably figure out who the
patient is
– Circumstantial information without actual patient identification can
cross this line
Legal, but likely to get you into official trouble
• Content that does not violate HIPAA can still be
inappropriate for posting online.
• Hospitals and healthcare institutions often have
policies pertaining to employees’ internet posts.
• Many prohibit any mention of the hospital or patient
care activities.
• Hospitals, medical/pharmacy schools, professional
organizations may take issue with any posts that can
be construed as reflecting negatively upon them.
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Legal, but likely to get you into official trouble
• Comments that bring the pharmacy profession into
disrepute
– Pharmacy licensing boards are unlikely to go looking for
these comments, but they may reflect poorly upon you if
another issue is brought to their attention, or if a
complaint is made.
– Skelley JW, Hughes P, Elmore LK. Social Media and
Unprofessional Pharmacist Conduct: A Cross-Sectional
Survey of Boards of Pharmacy. Innovations in
Pharmacy. 2013;4(3): Article 125.
Legal, but likely to get you into official trouble
Legal, but likely to get you into official trouble
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Public perceptions of pharmacist online behavior
• Being a member of a highly visible profession means
behavior as an individual reflects on all colleagues
• State pharmacy licensing boards generally interested in
protecting and policing the reputation of the profession
• Expectations for pharmacists’ behavior (as well as
physicians, teachers’, law enforcement officers’, and
others) are different than those for people in jobs less
dependent on the public’s trust
Public perceptions of pharmacist online behavior
• Selected public comments on the CNN.com story about
medical missionaries in Haiti
– “Medicine is a very serious profession…[but] teetering on the edge
of respectability and trust in some areas. Soon there will be so little
trust that it will undermine the respectable people who have chosen
this profession.”
– “Anybody who isn't smart enough to figure out what's OK to post on
the Internet has absolutely no business being in charge of other
people’s health.”
– “As professionals, doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc., are held to a
certain standard. If that's not your cup of tea, find a different job.”
From Greysen et al 2010
Breakout Activity
• Take a moment and think of an example of a time when
you observed a legal or ethical violation made by another
pharmacist or healthcare professional using social
media.
• Write down your example, then share with someone
sitting next to you.
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Organization Recommendations
• ASHP released a policy statement on professionalism in the
use of social media in 2012.
– Position: The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
encourages pharmacy professionals working in hospitals and health systems who
use social media to do so in a professional, responsible, and respectful manner.
Such use may complement and enhance their relationships with patients,
caregivers, other members of the health care team, and the public. To achieve
that goal, pharmacy professionals should:
• thoroughly consider the purposes and potential outcomes of participation in
social media and develop the strategies and skills required to effectively
utilize social media to meet their goals, and
• exercise professional judgment and adhere to professional standards and
legal requirements in both private and public social media communications,
especially legal and ethical obligations to protect the privacy of personal
health information
http://www.ashp.org/doclibrary/bestpractices/autoitstsocialmedia.aspx
Organization Recommendations
• ASHP policy continued:
– Medical advice offered through social media should be provided in
accordance with the professional standards of pharmacy practice
– Pharmacy professionals should be cognizant of both the benefits and
limitations of online communication (ie, substituting on-line
communication for appointments/visits)
– Pharmacy professionals should view social media as a means to not
only provide timely and accurate drug information but also to rebut
inaccurate, misleading, or outdated information
– Complaining about or disparaging patients, even in general terms, does
not advance the dignity of patients or the profession
http://www.ashp.org/doclibrary/bestpractices/autoitstsocialmedia.aspx
Organization Recommendations
• APhA published an association report in JAPhA in 2013
regarding social media in pharmacies
• Key Points:
– Many pharmacies currently use social media to reach out to followers about
products, services, and newsworthy events, provide reminders (e.g., MTM,
immunizations), and distribute generalized health information.
– Social media provides a wealth of information for patients, allows
pharmacists/pharmacies to communicate to large groups at one time, and
allows patients to feel that they are part of a pharmacy community.
– Keep professional social media separate from all personal accounts.
– “Arguing the ownership of an online presence is difficult. However, if we are
going to stand in front of our window without closing the blinds, we cannot
assume the neighbors will not look…Yes, we own our windows, but this just
makes us more responsible for what we display in them.”
J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2013;53:00.
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Breakout Activity
• Take a moment and write down your responses to the
following questions:
– What are common themes between available policies from
national pharmacy organizations?
– Are these policies feasible?
– What, if anything, are they missing?
Social Media and Community Pharmacies
• The focus on personal relationships within
independent pharmacies lends itself naturally to social
media
• If using a social media account for your pharmacy,
keep it separate from your personal account
• Make sure to balance content between pharmacygenerated posts (photos, news, events), outside
sources (news outlets, FDA alerts), and other content
(promotions/giveaways).
Social Media and Community Pharmacies
• Ideas of ways to promote your pharmacy via social media:
– Communicate new and interesting health information to patients via
news and pharmacy outlets
– Remind patients of seasonal services and sales (ex: immunizations,
Christmas sale for front-end merchandise)
– Run promotions and sales specific to social media users
– Share event information (both pharmacy and community specific)
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Social Media and Community Pharmacies
Social Media and Community Pharmacies
• General tips for pharmacies/businesses using social media:
– Have an organized approach to your social media strategy
– Longer posts tend to perform poorly. The ideal interaction being driven by
posts is between 100 to 119 characters
– Questions tend to drive interaction up by 10 to 20 percent
– Ideal amount of posts/day: 0.5-1 (consistency is key)
– Consider time of day/scheduling posts
– Only provide outside links to reputable and accurate sources for healthcare
content
– Avoid providing personal commentary on controversial health issues
– ~70% of consumers trust brand recommendations from friends: create great
content that your users will share, bringing others to your page and “brand”
• Additionally, consider creation of a social media policy for your
business account AND for your employees
Breakout Activity
• Take a moment to write down and reflect on your
response to the following item:
– Identify one benefit and one challenge to using social media for
your pharmacy that is specific to your business.
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Policies for Business Accounts
• Considerations for the creation of a business account
social media policy:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Define who it applies to
Identify who is responsible for managing content
Explain who the audience is
Define/describe content that is authorized for posting
Discuss privacy/confidentiality
Discuss copyright
Remind users of their responsibility to be professional and respectful
Create policies that are general and flexible enough to adapt to
emerging social media without requiring constant updating
Policies for Business Accounts
• Responding to patient inquiries:
– Instruct all employees (whether participating in social media in
their own name or on behalf of the organization) to never give
out medical advice to a specific patient using social media
– May be interpreted as establishing a provider/patient relationship
• Advice that could be alleged to contribute to a bad outcome
could result in a lawsuit
– Giving medical advice via social media creates a permanent
electronic record of the exchange
• Example Policies and Resources
– http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies/
– http://sharing.mayoclinic.org/guidelines/for-mayo-clinicemployees/
– https://www.ecri.org/EmailResources/HRC/eSource/AdSup4.pdf
Breakout Activity
• Take a moment to write down and reflect on your
responses to the following questions:
– Who is your social media audience?
– What is/will be your social media persona?
– Who is/are the person(s) responsible for managing social media
content?
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Policies for Personal Use
• Need to clearly and specifically define what type of
speech/expression is not allowed (but make sure complies with
NLRB, etc)
– Example: NLRB supports that speech that disparages an employer’s products
or services is subject to regulation, but not policies that prohibit employees from
depicting the company in any way over the internet
• Make staff aware of the penalties that both the facility and they
personally face for HIPAA violations as well as potential discipline
due to violating policy
• If the relationship between the employer and employee is apparent
on their account, encourage the use of disclaimers such as:
– “The views expressed on this [blog; website] are my own and do not reflect the
views of my employer.”
Policies for Personal Use
• Violations of professionalism are the most common; violations of
patient privacy/liability are the most serious
• Policies should explicitly instruct staff to against speaking badly
about patients, and strongly discourage criticisms of colleagues via
social media
• Also remind staff that social media is not an appropriate realm to
vent workplace frustrations
• Remember: unprofessional conduct on social media reflects
poorly not only on your business, but the profession as a
whole
Fun fact: According to a survey from Symantec Corp in 2011, social media missteps by
employees cost major corporations an average of $4.3 million each year.
Real World Examples
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Real World Examples
Real World Examples
Summary
• Creating a social media presence for your pharmacy
can have many benefits (but also some risks!)
• All businesses are encouraged to create social media
policies
• As healthcare professionals, pharmacists face unique
legal and professional challenges when using social
media
– HIPAA
– Giving medical advice
– Protecting professional credibility/identity
• Remember: Think before you post. Protect your own
privacy. Protect your patients’ privacy.
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References and Additional Resources
• References:
– Govette, J. 24 Outstanding Statistics & Figures on How Social Media has
Impacted the Health Care Industry. MedCity News Web site.
http://medcitynews.com/2013/11/24-outstanding-statistics-figures-social-mediaimpacted-health-care-industry/. Accessed September 10, 2014.
– Cooper, BB. 10 Surprising Social Media Statistics That Will Make You Rethink
Your Social Strategy. Work Smart. http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/worksmart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-yoursocial-stra. Accessed September 10, 2014.
– ASHP Statement on Use of Social Media by Pharmacy Professionals. American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists Web site.
http://www.ashp.org/doclibrary/bestpractices/autoitstsocialmedia.aspx.
Accessed September 9, 2014.
– Greysen SR, Johnson D, Kind K, Chretien KC, et al. Online Professionalism
Investigations by State Medical Boards. Ann Intern Med. 2013; 158:124-130.
– O’Hara B, Fox BI, Donahue B. Social media in pharmacy: heeding its call,
leveraging its power. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2013;53:00.
References and Additional Resources
• Additional Resources:
– Cain J, Romanelli F, Fox B. Pharmacy, social media, and health: Opportunity for
impact. J Am Pharm Assoc (2010). Nov-Dec;50(6):745-51.
– Skelley JW, Hughes P, Elmore LK. Social Media and Unprofessional
Pharmacist Conduct: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Boards of Pharmacy.
Innovations in Pharmacy. 2013;4(3): Article 125.
– Lupianez-Villanueva F, Mayer MA, Torrent J. Opportunities and challenges of
Web 2.0 within the health care systems: an empirical exploration. Inform Health
Soc Care. 2009 Sep;34(3):117-26.
– Alkhateeb FM, Clauson KA, Latif DA. Pharmacist use of social media. Int J
Pharm Pract. 2011 Apr;19(2):140-2.
– http://www.pharmacyowners.com/training/social-media-crash-course/
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Supplemental Worksheet
Item
Response
Legal and social challenges for healthcare professionals using social media
Take a moment and think of an example of a time
when you observed a legal or ethical violation
made by another pharmacist or healthcare
professional using social media.
National organization social media policies
What are common themes between available
policies from national pharmacy organizations?
Are these policies feasible?
What, if anything, are they missing?
Benefits and challenges of a community pharmacy social media identity
Identify one benefit and one challenge to using
social media for your pharmacy that is specific to
your business.
Writing a social media policy
Who is your social media audience?
What is/will be your social media persona?
Who is/are the person(s) responsible for
managing social media content?