Are you a regular on X, FB or IG? Make sure you know this

Pharmacists today are increasingly visible on social media—and that’s a good thing, wrote the Alberta College of Pharmacy in a recent post that highlighted the “great opportunities to educate the public and interact with colleagues” provided by platforms such as X, Facebook or Instagram. The college also pointed out the challenges of maintaining professional relationships in these online spaces that are typically open to a broad and uncurated audience, and reminded its members about the need to comply with professional expectations “when there is a clear connection between what they post and the pharmacy professions.” To help pharmacists navigate social media, the college offered suggestions that, while directed to its members, would be useful to all pharmacy professionals across the country. We’ve highlighted some of this guidance below, in some cases adapting it to address a broader audience. Mind your professional conduct When posting on social media, hold yourself accountable to your regulator’s code of ethics and the standards of practice for your profession. Keep it professional, accurate and clear Refrain from posting content that degrades or maligns anyone, and don’t engage in disputes on social media. “Maintain respect for patients, colleagues, co-workers, other health professionals and others,” wrote the ACP. Remember that your posts could have regulatory-related consequences Unprofessional posts have resulted in complaints to the college, the ACP noted. “The greater the connection is between your post and the pharmacy professions, the more likely your post may fall under the oversight of ACP.” Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest Avoid using aliases. Make sure your posts, or the identity tied to your posts, clearly state who you are and identify any conflicts of interests, including any compensation paid to you for your social media posts. “You are accountable while posting online, regardless of whether you are using your professional identity, personal identity, or posting under a pseudonym,” wrote the ACP. Posting health information? Make sure it’s backed by evidence that’s generally recognized and accepted. It’s also important to not misrepresent—deliberately or inadvertently—your qualifications or the services provided by pharmacy professionals. Read: Digital marketing tips from the frontlines Do not provide clinical advice or professional services Social media platforms should never be used to provide virtual care of any kind. That disclaimer? It’s no good The ACP noted that some pharmacy professionals include wording on their account profiles stating their comments are their own and don’t reflect the opinions of their employers or the profession. “These statements do not protect you from complaints to the ACP if your behaviour could be viewed as unprofessional and there is a clear connection between your posts and the pharmacy professions.” Don’t get personal with patients “Do not establish personal connections with patients or people closely associated with them,” wrote the ACP. “Do not seek out personal or health information about your patients on their social media profiles. This interferes with your ability to maintain appropriate professional boundary and may compromise your objectivity.” Try not to get lost in translation Social media’s reach is vast. That means your message is likely to be seen by a diverse audience that might include people who won’t understand a post’s intended humour, tone or language. The ACP's advice? Try to post in a manner that will be understood and accepted by people of all backgrounds and ages. Read: Why can't we all just respect each other? Privacy should be your top priority Take care to ensure any information you post doesn’t identify an actual patient. “Never post an image of a patient’s prescription, or any other document, that contains patient health or personal information on social media,” cautioned the ACP. The same caution applies when posting about other healthcare professionals. Unless the information pertaining to them is already publicly available, it’s best to write your post in a way that doesn’t include identifying information. It's also integral to understand the technology you’re using. This includes knowing how to edit and delete posts. The ACP recommends applying the strictest privacy settings, including two-factor authentication to control access to your account, and checking regularly to ensure the platform has not changed your privacy settings. “Remember that all of this advice applies not only when you are posting to your sites, but when you participate in or comment on other people’s social media posts, forums, blogs and shared videos,” wrote the ACP. Read: Editorial: Need a perspective refresh?

Are you a regular on X, FB or IG? Make sure you know this

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