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Welcome to the May 2012 homepage edition of i2P-Information to Pharmacists. Rollo Manning has been having some time out having staples removed from the site of his open heart surgery.He is now at home recuperating in Darwin, having arrived home last Friday, beating a cold and hasty retreat from Canberra.We all wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully, he will be fit enough to contribute by next month.
This month, Pharmedia discusses the toll that is taken when someone complains about you to an authority without good cause. Well, the good news is that you can now take action to protect yourself if such a complaint is made, and that may even include action for defamation. Read about a recent case involving two doctors, with Mark Coleman drawing on personal experience to illustrate.

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PSA Releases Guidance For Pharmacists Using Internet and Social Media

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Editing and Researching news and stories about global and local Pharmacy Issues

In our July edition of i2P, Kay Dunkley wrote an excellent article relating to social media and its use by health professionals. In that article Kay noted:
The Medical Journal of Australia recently published an excellent article on the topic of social media and the medical profession. It was this article that prompted me to write this opinion piece and I recommend that it should be read by all health professionals who are users of social media. I believe that many of the issues raised for medical practitioners are equally applicable to pharmacists and other health professionals. That article can be found at http://www.mja.com.au/publicissues/194_12_200611/man10874_fm.html

Now the PSA have weighed in with an official version for pharmacists.

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The internet and social media have changed the way many people receive or seek information about health issues and health care, and as a result the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia has launched its Guidance for Pharmacists on Contributing to and Using the Internet or Social Media.

The guide, developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including social media experts and medical professionals, recognises the responsibility on health professionals using these media to ensure accuracy, relevance of information and confidentiality of patient details.

National President of the PSA, Grant Kardachi, said pharmacists using the internet and social media for professional purposes needed to create and maintain an environment of trusted relationships to assure high-quality information and services.

“They also need to protect confidentiality and enhance the value of the internet and social media for both consumers and providers of health information, products, and services,” Mr Kardachi said.

“The PSA’s guidance document is designed to help ensure that pharmacists and consumers can confidently, and with understanding of known risks, use the internet and social media in disseminating and receiving information about health and health-care issues.

“Because health information, products and services have the potential to improve health and to do harm, pharmacists providing health information on the internet or via social media have obligations to adhere to standards of best practice for online professional services in health care.

“Consumers who use internet health sites and social media services also have a responsibility to help assure the value and integrity of the internet by exercising judgment in using sites, products and services, and by providing meaningful feedback about online health information, products and services.”

Mr Kardachi said the document also highlighted the need to observe, at all times that any activities involving social media or the internet must comply with the Pharmacy Board of Australia’s Code of Conduct for Registered Health Practitioners as well as the PSA Code of Ethics, available at www.psa.org.au

The Guidance for Pharmacists on Contributing to and Using the Internet or Social Media is available at  http://www.psa.org.au/archives/5991

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