Online interactions - What should you do?

Even with stringent privacy settings, once information is posted online, it is nearly impossible to remove and can quickly spread beyond one’s control. There are unintended and irreversible consequences to your patients, colleagues, your future employment prospects and your personal integrity. So think twice before posting or reacting to posts online.

What happens online has real world consequences

Always keep in mind that social media posts will reflect on you and your reputation as a healthcare professional.

• Always respect your colleagues and patients
• Never bring your competency or integrity into question

No excuses for breaching patient confidentiality. Do not use social media to discuss patients or post pictures which may enable patients to be identified without first having obtained informed consent.

• Social media can breed familiarity and blur professional and personal boundaries
• Keep communications strictly professional with patients and be upfront that online interaction is unprofessional
• Avoid online patient communications and relationships with current and former patients
• Always manage separate personal and professional social media accounts

Using patient testimonials in advertising material is prohibited. Testimonials are statements, reviews, feedback about a service received and involves recommendations or positive statements about clinical aspects of a health service.

Never make misleading or unsubstantiated healthcare claims with an expectation of benefit.

Practitioners must present information in an unbiased, evidence-based context and check content sourced from elsewhere.

Advertisements cannot refer to ‘Botox’ or ‘dermal fillers’. Always use general words and phrasing in advertising instead such as Cosmetic injections/anti-wrinkle treatment (for Botox) and Lip enhancement/augmentation (for dermal fillers).

• Traditional expectations of professional conduct apply
• Be conscious of your online image
• Don’t post anything online that you wouldn’t say in person
• Carefully consider the pros and cons if considering initiating a defamation case

• Listen to the feedback. If it can benefit you to deliver optimum healthcare, it shouldn’t be completely dismissed.
• Consider whether to respond or not, bearing in mind if the comment is from a patient or if it is made by an anonymous source.
• Consider disabling comments on both Facebook and Google.
• Will alleviate risk if you respond generally rather than replying specifically to a comment.
• Posts can be flagged for removal from external sites but remember success rates vary.
• Familiarise yourself with Google’s guidelines for removal of reviews.
• Avoid any legal responses. Could cause the issue to escalate rather than diminish.
• As with any complaint, remain professional, listen to the patient and thank them for their feedback.
• Contact MIPS to notify and discuss an appropriate strategy.

AHPRA Medical and Dental codes of conduct
AHPRA guidelines for advertising regulated health services
AHPRA online resources for advertising
AHPRA testimonial tool
AHPRA Social Media Policy
Dental fact sheet – Botox and dermal fillers
AMA Introduction to social media
RACGP Factsheet: Responding to online reviews
Google guidelines to replying to online criticism – Read and reply to reviews

MIPS is available 24/7 for Clinico-Legal Support on 1800 061 113