Electronic Communication and Social Media policy
Electronic
Communication/ Email Policy
Policy
Our practice is mindful that even if patients have provided electronic
contact details, they may not be proficient in communicating via electronic
means and patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic
communication. Electronic communication includes email, facsimile and Short
Message Service (SMS).
Communication with
patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy.
Our practice’s primary
reason for communicating electronically to patients is to issue appointment reminders and we verify the
correct contact details of the patient at the time of the appointment being
made.
Whilst not encouraged, our practice allows patients an opportunity to
obtain advice or information related to their care by electronic means, but
only where the general
practitioner determines that a
face-to-face consultation is unnecessary and that communication by electronic
means is suitable. Our practice will only provide information that is of a
general, non-urgent nature and will not initiate electronic communication
(other than SMS appointment reminders) with patients. Any electronic
communication received from patients is also used as a method to verify the
contact details we have recorded on file are correct and up-to-date.
Communication with
patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy. Before obtaining and documenting the
patient’s consent, patients are fully informed through information
contained within the new patient registration form, of the risks associated with
electronic communication in that the information could be intercepted or read
by someone other than the intended recipient.
When an email message
is sent or received in the course of a person’s duties, that message is a
business communication and therefore constitutes an official record. Patients are informed of any costs to be
incurred as a result of the electronic advice or information being provided,
and all electronic contact with patients is recorded in their health record.
All members of the
practice team are made aware of our policy regarding electronic communication
with patients during induction, and are reminded of this policy on an ongoing
basis. They are made aware that electronic communications could be forwarded,
intercepted, printed and stored by others. Each member of the practice team
holds full accountability for emails sent in their name or held in their
mailbox, and they are expected to utilise this communication tool in an
acceptable manner. This includes, but is not limited to:
·
Limiting
the exchange of personal emails,
·
Refraining
from responding to unsolicited or unwanted emails,
·
Deleting
hoaxes or chain emails,
·
Not
opening email attachments from unknown senders,
·
Virus
checking all email attachments,
·
Maintaining
appropriate language within electronic communications,
·
Ensuring
any personal opinions are clearly indicated as such, and
·
Confidential
information (e.g. patient information) must be encrypted.
Our practice reserves
the right to check an individual’s email accounts as a precaution to fraud,
viruses, workplace harassment or breaches of confidence by members of the
practice team. Inappropriate use of the email facility will be fully
investigated and may be grounds for dismissal.
The practice uses an
email disclaimer notice on outgoing emails that are affiliated with the
practice stating
“This email is confidential
and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please accept our
apologies. Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this email
or take any reliance on its content. To do so strictly is prohibited and may be
unlawful. Please inform us if you have received this email in error.
Using
social media in our practice
‘Social media’ is defined as online social networks used to disseminate
information through online interaction.
Regardless of whether social media is used for business related activity
or for personal reasons, the following standards apply to members of our
practice team, including general practitioners. Practitioners and team members
are legally responsible for their postings online. Practitioners and team members
may be subject to liability and disciplinary action including termination of
employment or contract if their posts are found to be in breach of this policy.
Our practice has appointed our director Leo Kim as our social media
officer with designated responsibility to manage and monitor the practice’s
social media accounts. All posts on the practice’s social media websites must
be approved by this person.
When using the practice’s social media, all members of our practice team
will not:
·
Post
any material that:
o
Is unlawful, threatening, defamatory, pornographic,
inflammatory, menacing, or offensive
o
Infringes or breaches another person’s rights
(including intellectual property rights) or privacy, or misuses the practice’s
or another person’s confidential information (e.g. do not submit confidential
information relating to our patients, personal information of staff, or
information concerning the practice’s business operations that have not been
made public)
o
Is materially damaging or could be materially
damaging to the practice’s reputation or image, or another individual
o
Is in breach of any of the practice’s policies or
procedures
·
Use
social media to send unsolicited commercial electronic messages, or solicit
other users to buy or sell products or services or donate money,
·
Impersonate
another person or entity (for example, by pretending to be someone else or
another practice employee or other participant when you submit a contribution
to social media) or by using another’s registration identifier without
permission,
·
Tamper
with, hinder the operation of, or make unauthorised changes to the social media
sites,
·
Knowingly
transmit any virus or other disabling feature to or via the practice’s social
media account, or use in any email to a third party, or the social media site,
·
Attempt
to do or permit another person to do any of these things:
o
Claim or imply that you are speaking on the
practice’s behalf, unless you are authorised to do so
o
Disclose any information that is confidential or
proprietary to the practice, or to any third party that has disclosed
information to the practice
·
Be
defamatory, harassing, or in violation of any other applicable law,
·
Include
confidential or copyrighted information (e.g. music, videos, text belonging to
third parties), and
·
Violate
any other applicable policy of the practice.
All members of our practice team must obtain the relevant approval from
our social media officer prior to posting any public representation of the
practice on social media websites. The practice reserves the right to remove
any content at its own discretion.
Any social media must be monitored in accordance with the practice’s
current polices on the use of internet, email and computers.
Our practice complies with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation
Agency (AHPRA) national law, and takes reasonable steps to remove testimonials
that advertise our services (which may include comments about the practitioners
themselves). Our practice is not responsible for removing (or trying to have
removed) unsolicited testimonials published on a website or in social media
over which we do not have control.
Any social media posts by members of our practice team on their personal
social media platforms should:
·
Include
the following disclaimer example in a reasonably prominent place if they are
identifying themselves as an employee of the practice on any posting: ‘The views expressed in this post are mine
and do not reflect the views of the practice/business/committees/boards that I
am a member of’, and
·
Respect
copyright, privacy, fair use, financial disclosure and other applicable laws
when publishing on social media platforms.
Social media activities internally and externally of the practice must
be in line with this policy.