Health systems and hospitals should have social media policies but should avoid limiting protected speech, a legal expert says.
Social media can be a powerful tool for CMOs, other healthcare leaders, and physicians. However, there are pitfalls.
A recent pitfall example is a wrongful termination lawsuit filed in North Carolina by a pharmacist who had complained on LinkedIn about inadequate staffing at her hospital and its corporate parent, HCA Healthcare. The lawsuit claims the pharmacist was fired to silence her and cover up staffing shortages at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.
The firing of the pharmacist puts Mission Hospital and HCA Healthcare in legal jeopardy. According to Amanda Hill, JD, founder of Hill Health Law Group, health systems and hospitals should have social media policies, but there are limits to restricting speech on social media platforms.
"There is a fine line in setting rules," Hill says. "That is why you should have your social media policy reviewed by legal counsel. Sometimes, organizations go too far. They say you cannot talk about your pay and workplace conditions. But that is protected speech."
Click here to read the accompanying story.
Christopher Cheney is the CMO editor at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Social media platforms can be powerful communication tools for CMOs during public health emergencies.
Healthcare professionals should consider using internal processes for airing grievances rather than posting concerns on social media.