Doctors and nurses risk their lives every day to save others, but they don’t do it for free. Healthcare professionals are human beings with emotions and feelings like everyone else.
They deserve a chance to protect themselves from online harassment and attacks just as much as any other individual does.
This blog post will teach you how to protect your reputation as a healthcare professional by providing a few tips on dealing with negative comments, reviews, or articles about yourself. Check on the list below.
Get Yourself an Insurance Cover
One way to protect yourself is by getting insurance cover. Ensuring that you are insured against things like defamation, and other potential repercussions of being attacked physically or online will help lessen your worry about these types of events happening in your future.
It is also important to have a cover against medical malpractices if you are accused of doing something wrong one day. These medical malpractice insurance providers will cover the cost of your defense and any other damages that might arise from a medical malpractice accusation. They will help you protect your practice, reputation, and livelihood.
Be Honest and Truthful in All of Your Dealings
If you are accused of something, be honest and truthful in all of your dealings. When somebody accuses you of wrongdoing, there is a good chance that they will search for proof to back up their claims, so it can’t hurt if the evidence shows otherwise.
In many cases, when people make false accusations or defamatory statements about physicians and nurses, they want to ruin the reputation of these people. After all, society trusts doctors and nurses with their health; if a doctor or nurse is seen as someone who does not always act honestly, this can be very damaging for them and others. To protect your good name from being ruined by false accusations, make sure you are honest and truthful in all of your dealings, no matter what the cost might be.
Set up a Paperless Office to Keep Your Files Secure
When you’re accused of something, one thing that they will look for is your files. It can be a good idea to keep these in an office with no computers or unsecured paper copies. A paperless business has many advantages, including cutting costs and keeping evidence at bay.
A secure file cabinet with fire-proof locks on it would work well here. Next time somebody asks to see your files, refer them to the file cabinet and make sure they know that nobody can access them without your permission.
Use Caution When Discussing Sensitive Information on Social Media Sites
The best advice is to be cautious when discussing sensitive information on social media sites. It can’t hurt if you never post anything about your profession, work, or the hospital where you are employed at.
In many cases, it’s also a good idea not to include any pictures of yourself in your profile picture or anywhere else, for that matter. This will help protect you against cases where somebody might identify who you are based on your picture.
The best way to avoid people from making a false accusation is by being careful and defensive about how much information is available in the first place.
Keep Records of Any Interactions With Patients for Future Reference
Hospitals and other healthcare providers are legally required to keep records of any patient interactions for future reference. It’s always a good idea to have these on hand in case somebody accuses you of something or if they want proof that the interaction happened at all.
One way to do this is by having them transcribed into your electronic health record. Or you can create your own document and keep it safe. When somebody asks, “Can I see the recording of our meeting?” You will be able to show them that this is present in your records. This way, they cannot deny anything or claim that a conversation took place when really there was no one at all.
Follow the Rules Set by Your Employer Regarding Patient Confidentiality and HIPAA Standards
There are many rules that you must follow when it comes to patient confidentiality. You need to know the standards set by your employer, as well as HIPPA regulations and other laws.
It’s important not to violate any of these because they can result in a heavy fine or even jail time if found guilty. The best way to avoid this is by following the rules set by your employer and being careful about what information you share.
Some of these rules may include handling patient medical records, who is allowed access to them, and where they are stored. If there is a question regarding any of this, make sure you contact your human resources department.
Do Not Use Company Resources for Personal Use
It’s never a good idea to use company resources for personal use. This includes the time of other employees and any supplies that you might need or equipment like computers and phones.
Try not to access your email account during work hours because this violates professional codes of conduct in most professions and can also lead to disciplinary actions taken against you.
You should also know that using a work phone to make any personal calls is not allowed and can result in disciplinary actions. Remember that you are an employee of the company, so you need to follow their rules to continue working there.
Be Firm on Your decisions
The most important thing to remember is that you are in charge of the decisions. This means that if a staff member or patient makes a request, it’s up to you as an individual what happens next.
Some people might try and push for certain things because they think this will help them get their way, but at the end of the day, you are the one who makes decisions.
You need to be firm on your decisions and follow professional codes of conduct so that people will respect you as a professional, no matter what they want from you.
So how do you protect your reputation as a healthcare professional? The first step is to get yourself an insurance cover. There’s no substitute for honesty and truthfulness in all of your dealings when it comes to protecting your patients. You want them to trust you with their health so that they can feel safe when talking about sensitive topics like mental illness or sexual abuse. Be cautious when discussing these things on social media sites because the more people who see this personal information online, the higher chance someone will notify employers or family members without consent from the person involved (and then try to profit off of it). If you follow HIPAA standards set by your employer and keep records of any interactions with clients, future decisions may be easier. Therefore follow the highlighted tips to protect your reputation as a healthcare professional.
