Social Media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, YouTube, as well as Forums and Blogs are exciting new avenues for expressing creativity, and sharing interests and knowledge. Participation in these online communities is therefore supported. However, there are instances where online discussions and posting of online content can cause distress to individuals or groups and can detract from the community’s overall enjoyment of social media use.
WHY WE ARE JOINING SOCIAL MEDIA
We believe that it is part of our responsibility as a health care provider to play an active role in educating individuals about vision, eye care and surgical options. We want to share tips and strategies and encourage a space where individuals can connect and openly discuss their own experiences.
HOW TO BECOME PART OF OUR COMMUNITY
Please follow us on Instagram and join our Facebook page. We respectfully ask that you share only comments of kindness and compassion as you communicate with others in these spaces.
HERZIG EYE INSTITUTE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY IS GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING KEY PRINCIPLES:
- Herzig Eye Institute wishes to operate in an environment where people show respect for others. Respect is defined as consideration for another’s physical and emotional well-being and possessions, to ensure no damage or deprivation is caused to either.
- Herzig Eye Institute wishes to operate in an environment that is free from harassment. Harassment is defined as any action directed at an individual or group that creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive environment.
- Herzig Eye Institute wishes to operate in a non-discriminatory environment. Respect the right, dignity and worth of every human being – treat everyone equally regardless of gender, ethnic origin or religion.
HERZIG EYE INSTITUTE SOCIAL MEDIA RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
- Our social media outlets do not represent medical advice: It is important to differentiate that we will not be offering medical care through our social media outlets; they are designed for informational and educational purposes only.
- We will not be active in the comment/dialogue section: Our focus will be in publishing and sharing content that we think will be helpful and/or useful for our audience. We will be actively avoiding open dialogue on our public walls in order to ensure we do not take any risk with our utmost standard for maintaining confidentiality. Sorry, in advance, if we are not able to say thank you when you post a comment about us or share our information through your personal channels. We sincerely appreciate your interest and active discussion.
- We are not a crisis care provider and will not be actively managing these channels outside of business hours. We encourage you to contact your own optometrist, physician or ophthalmologist outside of regular business hours. For emergencies, please head to the emergency department of a nearby hospital.
- Herzig Eye Institute requires individuals to take responsibility for their own words and for the comments allowed on Herzig Eye Institute’s social media pages. Herzig Eye Institute does not engage in unacceptable content, and will delete comments that contain it.
Unacceptable content is defined as anything included or linked to that:
a. is being used to abuse, harass, stalk or threaten others
b. is libelous, knowingly false, or misrepresents another person
c. infringes upon a copyright or trademark
d. violates an obligation of confidentiality
e. violates the privacy of others
- Herzig Eye Institute does not tolerate personal attacks and recommends connecting privately before responding publicly. When individuals encounter conflicts and misrepresentation in social networking sites, they should make every effort to talk privately and directly to the person(s) involved – or find an intermediary who can do so – before publishing any posts or comments about the issue.
- Our clinicians will not be able to actively connect through personal channels due to privacy laws and guidelines. So, if your doctor does not add you to their personal networks, they are doing so in order to protect your identity and to maintain the professional guidelines set out by their governing bodies.
Here is a link to these guidelines:
College of Physicians
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