Keeping Your Health Information Private on Social Media

We strive to protect the privacy of our patients at UF Health. Your personal health information is for you to keep safe and we ask that you help guard others’ privacy when in the hospital. Members of our staff are trained on how to handle this sensitive information, but unfortunately, once it enters the world of social media, it’s no longer secure.

We have put together a list of tips to consider before sharing information on a social media site:

• When taking photos while visiting our campuses, offices, and other facilities, be mindful of others who may be in the background
• For your safety and privacy, avoid taking/posting photos on your own page, or UF Health pages, that contain medical information (ex., patient wrist band, computer monitors, whiteboards and/or financial information)
• Please ask hospital team members for their permission before including them in photos
• Remember the Internet is permanent – assume that once you post information it stays visible forever
• Do not reveal your location within the hospital (ie., do not show room numbers or other identifying information)
• Turn-off GPS capabilities on your smartphone before posting photos
• Contact local authorities and/or the specific social media outlet if you feel you are being bullied or harassed on social media. Each social media platform has reporting mechanisms built-in for these situations.

Additional information regarding patient privacy at UF Health can be found in the Patient Guide.