New FB messenger,...HIPAA Violations?

Nurses HIPAA

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I've been watching all the hype about the new FaceBook messenger. If even half of what I read is true,..how can FB have access to my phone, which includes protected health information from work, without violating HIPAA? Have any of you heard anything from your employers about this? Many that I work with have access to patient charts via their phones, FB has no business seeing this!

I never use my phone for work other than a text regarding schedules. I don't have my employer name in my phone. I refer only to unit/floor if someone asks where they are working, and I don't socialize with colleagues outside of work, or online. Problem solved.

Specializes in ICU.

My phone made me download the app the other day or I could not get access to my messages. But I agree with justbeachy. My boyfriend has a phone that is issued by his employer and he can't even get pics with it. It is very restricted so I am surprised you can get Facebook with it. He has an iphone but seriously it works like a flip phone because he can't do much with it. And he is a lawyer with a medical device manufacturer so privacy is of the utmost importance. Kinda like HIPAA is.

Specializes in ER/Emergency Behavioral Health....

I knew a guy who designed whatever app they put on those phones that blocks everything.

You can deny messenger those accesses. I think it is on the settings menu.

I don't put work info on my phone though. I try to keep my phone in my bag while I'm working so I can't accidentally snap a photo or anything while I'm working.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

You can still access the messages if you delete the messenger app. They are also accessible via your device's web browser such as safari

Specializes in Pedi.
I guess two questions here... Why are you using personal social media apps on a work issued smart phone? And/or why are you accessing confidential patient information on your personal phone that you use for personal social media?

That was my thought too. If it is a company issued phone (as my work phone is) then don't use it for facebook or personal email. If it is your personal phone, don't use it to check work email. Problem solved. If it's so critical that you receive emails from work when you're not there, your company can issue you a smart phone. Facebook doesn't receive payments from its users health insurance companies, it isn't bound by HIPAA.

I don't understand how a person can have access to patient info vial their own personal phone. ??? At our work the patient info is only on the work computers. We also have unit phones that the manager carries around, and only that official phone has patient info via texts from people in the hospital about patients being admitted. Even then it's very minimal information: John Smith, 4yo, Asthma going into room 305.

I never use my phone for work other than a text regarding schedules. I don't have my employer name in my phone. I refer only to unit/floor if someone asks where they are working, and I don't socialize with colleagues outside of work, or online. Problem solved.

One of the reasons I go to work is to see other adult human beings. I do have friendships with people at work. We just don't sit there and talk about patient info once we clock out.

Specializes in Emergency, ICU.
I don't understand how a person can have access to patient info vial their own personal phone. ???

I have only worked at large teaching facilities and the residents and attendings are always texting each other regarding patients. Nurses don't though.

One hospital I worked at issued a smart-phone like device to everyone who worked there, so texting was allowed via this device only as it was restricted to the hospital (did not work once you left the campus) and it was considered as protected as the work computers. It also worked as a phone, so everyone had a unique number to get called at. Also, if you worked in a monitored unit, your patient's alarms came to your device. But this was a technologically advanced place. Not the norm yet for sure.

Unless it is a work issued phone, no one should be accessing or texting patient information. No one.

Great.... I'm starting to miss my rotary phone and letter writing...

;)

Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

Almost every app I've dowloaded has said the same thing. It's common for an app to request permission to access your photos, contacts, etc. This is due to the way the app functions. For example, if you message someone a picture, they need permission from you to access the photos on your phone. They aren't taking the information from your phone and using it for anything, they just have to have permission for when you give a command, like video chat, syncing contacts etc. They request these permissions when you download the app, this way they are covered when joe shmoe tries to sue them because he messaged his girlfriend a photo of his wife.

The app isn't going to access ANYTHING that you don't tell it to access. Much like email, if you attach something, yes it's accessing your information, but only what you tell it to.

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