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Assessment 02 – Protected Health Information

For this assessment, you will prepare a two-page interprofessional staff update on HIPAA and
appropriate social media use in health care. Before you complete the detailed instructions in the
courseroom, first select one of the settings below that will become the focus of your
interprofessional staff update.

After you have selected one of the two settings below, return to the courseroom to review the
assessment instructions and grading rubric prior to completing your assessment.

• Palliative and Hospice Care Settings:
o Context: Palliative and hospice care settings focus on providing relief from the

symptoms and stress of serious illnesses. The goal is to improve the quality of
life for both the patient and the family. These settings can be in a patient’s home,
a hospice facility, or a hospital. Given the emotionally charged nature of end-of-
life care, the relationships between healthcare providers, patients, and families
are deeply personal and sensitive.

o Social Media Concern: Sharing emotional moments, patient stories, or even
reflections on end-of-life care can inadvertently disclose private patient and
family details. Given the vulnerability of this patient population, any breach of
information can be particularly distressing for families.

• Intensive Care Units (ICUs):

o Context: ICUs are specialized hospital departments that provide critical care to
patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Patients in ICUs
often require close monitoring and advanced medical equipment. The nature of
care in ICUs is intense, with patients often at a high risk and in unstable
conditions. Families are deeply involved, and emotions run high.

o Social Media Concern: Given the critical state of many ICU patients, sharing
updates, discussing challenging cases, or even reflecting on patient outcomes
can inadvertently disclose sensitive patient information. Even a seemingly
harmless post about a long shift or a challenging night can contain context clues
that breach patient confidentiality.