Analysis Of Michael J. Ackerman Et Al Privacy, Mhealth,...

Michael J. Ackerman et al. (2013) describes his experience as well as topics discussed at the meeting of the American Medical Informatics Association that he attends each year. One session titled â€Å"Privacy, mHealth, and Social Media,† brought up an important question; can you ethically look up a troubling patient on social media in order to get information that did not add up during your patient interview? (Ackerman, 2013). Resulting from HIPAA only covering providers and not patients, medical information given away on social media by an individual has waved their right to privacy, giving all users access to the information posted (Ackerman, 2013). It is important for social media users to understand that the information they post, as well as store in the personal health record kept on their smart-phone, is accessible to other users and further and unwanted information may also be released or obtained in the case of one losing their phone. Ackerman also states that due to patients now having the ability to send data obtained from m-health devices to their physician and expect an immediate response and interpretation, there are now several guidelines for physicians to follow when using social media (2013). Smalls (2012) reinstated Ackerman’s point regarding HIPAA covering providers only. Anything a provider shares or posts must be in compliance with the Act; if a patient can be identified by the information given, that information is individually identifiable health