---
title: Legal Implications and Your Online Brand
description: While it may seem harmless to share information from your medical practice online, you could actually be violating certain laws.
image: https://mktgessentials.com/hubfs/2016/Q1/images/confidential-notice.jpg
---

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Posted by [Patty Cisco](https://mktgessentials.com/blog/author/patty-cisco)  on September 21, 2015

# Legal Implications and Your Online Brand

[Blog](https://mktgessentials.com/blog) › [Strategy](https://mktgessentials.com/blog/topic/strategy) › Legal Implications and Your Online Brand

![](https://mktgessentials.com/hubfs/2016/Q1/images/confidential-notice.jpg)

Before you yawn and your eyes glaze over, there are several key factors you need to keep in mind regarding marketing practices and protecting your clients’ privacy. We are not offering legal advice, simply some suggestions and tips to help you avoid any pitfalls in an increasingly connected world.

### **Here’s the good news: we’re going to keep this short and sweet.**

As a health care professional, you have a duty to keep medical information confidential. Your web presence is treated as advertising under the law, just as if you bought space in a newspaper.

If you haven’t already done so, put together a social media policy that involves all layers of staff. Be careful using photos or videos that may actually capture a patient’s information. The proliferation of mobile devices and their ability to capture and record information poses a risk you can’t always control. It’s important you recognize this and try to plan accordingly.

Designate someone to post and tweet to your various social media sites. The bottom line is that is not really all that complicated. It just takes some common sense. Don’t let fear prevent you from taking advantage of social media and blogs to build your online brand.

Marketing in the healthcare industry isn’t always easy. In order to protect patient confidentiality, there are some extra steps needed. At Marketing Essentials we can help you take those extra steps, as well as enhance and manage your reputation online. Give one of our digital strategists call at Marketing Essentials today at 419.629.0080.

 

 

Posted by [Patty Cisco](https://mktgessentials.com/blog/author/patty-cisco) on September 21, 2015

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