Does anyone facebook stalk good looking patients/customers?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Does anyone facebook stalk good looking patients/customers?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 10.0%
  • No

    Votes: 18 90.0%

  • Total voters
    20

doctorOP

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
19
Reaction score
12
I understand this is most likely a HIPPA violation, but I'm wondering if anyone secretly fb stalks patients? Sometimes it just feels so convenient when you have their name and address. Am I a disgrace to pharmacy for thinking this way?

Members don't see this ad.
 
I understand this is most likely a HIPPA violation, but I'm wondering if anyone secretly fb stalks patients? Sometimes it just feels so convenient when you have their name and address. Am I a disgrace to pharmacy for thinking this way?
I have never done that. Dont have time for that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I like to think the people who practice this profession still have some integrity, even if the corporations don't. Get some help dude.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users
Nope, never done it and never will. Just know if any kind of HIPAA violation ever occurred there is record of what you do online. I'm sure FB is able to access who you've searched and present that to a court as evidence if need be. Delete your Facebook so it's not a temptation and seek professional help or maybe tell a colleague that can hold you accountable in the future.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Thanks for all the advice. I didn't realize it was this serious of a thing. Now I know to never do it!
 
I've had patients try to add me on FB both male and female. I personally don't see the big deal but I don't accept seeing as it's better to be safe than sorry.

We actually had a lecture about this during orientation and they essentially told us not to even have a FB. Apparently it's also a HIPAA violation to look at your own EHR. Kind of stupid if you ask me. Say I'm working in the pharmacy and want to show someone how to pull up a patient profile. I use my own name as an example. I'v also just violated HIPAA by accessing a profile for a person who which I am not caring for. You look up your friend on your state's controlled substance database? Felony.
 
Last edited:
Nope, never done it and never will. Just know if any kind of HIPAA violation ever occurred there is record of what you do online. I'm sure FB is able to access who you've searched and present that to a court as evidence if need be. Delete your Facebook so it's not a temptation and seek professional help or maybe tell a colleague that can hold you accountable in the future.

I'm not sure looking up information from facebook qualifies as a HIPAA violation since the information isn't generally health-related in nature and is freely given by the subject.

And FB having records of who you've searched for? Unless there's some kind of money to be made (like product placement), I'm somewhat doubtful they would keep a comprehensive record that would take up so many resources to maintain when there's no real profit to be made from keeping that type of information.

Still. Not a very cool thing to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I'm not sure looking up information from facebook qualifies as a HIPAA violation since the information isn't generally health-related in nature and is freely given by the subject.

And FB having records of who you've searched for? Unless there's some kind of money to be made (like product placement), I'm somewhat doubtful they would keep a comprehensive record that would take up so many resources to maintain when there's no real profit to be made from keeping that type of information.

Still. Not a very cool thing to do.

Actually you can see a record of everything and everyone you ever searched for on FB with the date. You can also delete them... not sure if FB would still store this info or not if you go in and delete it.
 
I've done it a few times, but only when the girl is so drop dead beautiful that I literally can't help myself.

And, if I decide to go ahead and do that, never under any circumstances would I send her a friend request or message her, or even tell ANYONE (not including you knuckleheads) that I did that. THAT is how you get in trouble and THAT is how you lose your license.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I've done it a few times, but only when the girl is so drop dead beautiful that I literally can't help myself.

And, if I decide to go ahead and do that, never under any circumstances would I send her a friend request or message her, or even tell ANYONE (not including you knuckleheads) that I did that. THAT is how you get in trouble and THAT is how you lose your license.
Being creepy. Lol
 
I am not sure looking up a patient on FB qualifies as a mortal sin, but I would suggest never doing it. Hard to picture anything good coming from it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
No. I don't have any.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Even if it wasn't a HIPAA violation, it's a violation of professional boundaries UNLESS you know the person from somewhere else, and sometimes not even then. We didn't have social media when I worked at the grocery store, and I wouldn't have looked people up online anyway. I already knew enough about them, KWIM?

When I lost my job in 2010 and had to go to a lawyer to get my unemployment, one of my FBFs at my church (a big one with two services) said, "He goes here! He's one of my Facebook friends. You should send him a friend request!" and I replied, "That would be unethical, and if he was on my friends list, I'd take him off."
 
Lol what am I reading
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I'm not sure looking up information from facebook qualifies as a HIPAA violation since the information isn't generally health-related in nature and is freely given by the subject.

And FB having records of who you've searched for? Unless there's some kind of money to be made (like product placement), I'm somewhat doubtful they would keep a comprehensive record that would take up so many resources to maintain when there's no real profit to be made from keeping that type of information.

Still. Not a very cool thing to do.

Fb does have search records, you can view your own of what and when you searched things. FB also uses this information to optimize their search features and suggested friends. You'd be surprised what social media companies keep. Data on users is something they try to capture the most of, they can figure out how to profit from it later.
 
Fb does have search records, you can view your own of what and when you searched things. FB also uses this information to optimize their search features and suggested friends. You'd be surprised what social media companies keep. Data on users is something they try to capture the most of, they can figure out how to profit from it later.

If you even for a second think that you would get in trouble because you LOOKED A PATIENT UP ON FACEBOOK, you're crazy. If you don't tell a soul, there is literally a 0% chance of getting caught. Talk about being paranoid.

Even if you decide to be a ****ing creep and tell the whole world and even snitch on yourself, I'm not sure you would get in trouble even then. Searching for someone is not bad. It's sending the request, sending a message that's bad.

The takeaway is if you wouldn't do it in real life, don't do it on the internet. We're all guilty of this, me included, but it's sound advice. If you wouldn't check out a hot girl in real life, don't do it on the internet.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I don't see it quite as morally wrong as the other people.... Just boring. I mean..... I'm at work and see some regulars daily. That's enough for me. Well.... And I don't have fb, and just don't care.
 
I don't think this is morally wrong... But you are creepy AF
 
If you even for a second think that you would get in trouble because you LOOKED A PATIENT UP ON FACEBOOK, you're crazy. If you don't tell a soul, there is literally a 0% chance of getting caught. Talk about being paranoid.

Even if you decide to be a ****ing creep and tell the whole world and even snitch on yourself, I'm not sure you would get in trouble even then. Searching for someone is not bad. It's sending the request, sending a message that's bad.

The takeaway is if you wouldn't do it in real life, don't do it on the internet. We're all guilty of this, me included, but it's sound advice. If you wouldn't check out a hot girl in real life, don't do it on the internet.

Yup - never said you'd get in trouble. Just informing the poster that Facebook does indeed store searches.
 
Top