Social media — use it, but use it with extreme caution. That was the message from attorney Alexander Lopez, OTR/L, JD, and Kyle Hewson, PT, EdD, of Stony Brook (N.Y.) University, during a presentation they gave Feb. 9 in Chicago.

Lopez and Hewson directed the audience members at the American Physical Therapy Association conference to peruse a variety of healthcare entities using various outlets at http://socialhealthcarenews.com for ideas.

Patients want to feel a connection to their healthcare providers, they said. Tips on creating a social media policy for a healthcare organization, including an interview with someone from Mayo Clinic, a leader in this area, are included on this site: http://storify.com/wendysoucie/healthcare-social-media-and-policies.

There are many ethical and legal potholes when using Internet-based networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs, the pair warned. Check with your professional organizations for codes of ethics, Lopez said. Guidelines for the differences between ethics and rules are explained on this site: http://drsusangiurleo.com/health-care-social-media-ethics-not-rules/.

In ethical decision making there are many ways to test whether or not a piece of information should be posted to social media, Lopez said. For example: Is it legal? Would it create discomfort if it became public? What would your role model do? And use your gut feelings — does it “feel” wrong? “If it gives you pause, pause,” the pair advised.

Qualify language and use disclaimers. Labeling something an “opinion” may not be enough, Lopez warned.

HIPAA and other privacy laws, both local and federal, need to be taken into account. Also, it is illegal to give medical advice over the Internet. “You’re allowed to post information, but not advice. That is a very thin line,” Hewson said.

Other legal pitfalls include defamation, false light, plagiarism and liability for inaccurate information. First Amendment freedom-of-speech rights do not always cover comments made on social media sites if resulting damage can be shown, Lopez warned.

If a mistake is made, correct it immediately. But remember that everything posted to the Web may be saved somewhere, even if you delete it, they said.

A Facebook page for your patients should be updated and maintained, and offer news about your facility or organization. And a social media policy should be adopted. Lopez recommended borrowing from others when developing the policy. A database of social media policies of many healthcare organizations can be found here: http://www.socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php?f=4#ixzz1jltaen3H. “They have to be written artfully to cover broad action,” Lopez said.

Separate your personal and professional social media. In general, Facebook is for personal relationships, while LinkedIn is for professional relationships. But care also must be used on personal sites, the pair warned. A 2009 Careerbuilder.com survey found 45% of employers check social networking sites of potential employees, looking for inappropriate photos or information, including the disclosure of confidential information about previous employers. “You’re always seen in the light of a professional,” Lopez said.

Be aware of privacy settings and set them as private as possible, Lopez advised. And perform an Internet search on your own name about once a month to be sure there is nothing posted online that could be damaging to your professional reputation, he said.