Digital Communication
Learning Objectives
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1. List three methods on social media communication and describe the best usage of each.
2. Write a short summary of how you would teach a grade school student when it is appropriate to communicate with technology in a school setting. 3. Analyze the ramifications of having a "classroom without borders." 4. Explain why "deleting a message or post" is a misnomer. |
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Digital Communication Overview
Digital Communication is defined by Ribble (2015) as sharing information electronically. You only need to walk into a restaurant to see how pervasive online communication has become. Families sitting at a table or a couple on a date each with their cell phone on the table. People communicate constantly through emails, texting and social networking. Digital communication allows everyone to express their opinions, thoughts and needs to everyone else. Because digital communication is so fast paced and wide spread it is easy to forget the untoward consequences that may result. Deleting is not really deleting. Even in a world where photos can be sent and dissolve in seconds on a screen, a simple screenshot will maintain a permanent record that can be shared with millions online. Too often, people send photos, posts, texts and emails without considering how they will interpreted by the receiver. Parents feel that their children should have cell phones at early grade school ages. This constant ability ability to communicate may contribute to the phenomenon of "helicopter parents" as well as behavioral problems in students. Digital communication can bring people together and help prevent isolation, but it also poses many challenges. Parents, teachers and administrators need to work together to monitor digital communication as well as teach appropriate use (Ribble,2015).
Connections to Digital Communication
HIPPA or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act provides guidelines for medical personnel when using online or digital communication with their patients. Health care practitioners are allowed to use email and texts to communicate with patients at the patient's request. They must be careful to make sure that the correct email address is used and to limit the amount of private information that is sent. Health care entities can use encrypted email and require a password for best security. This practice meets the HIPAA guidelines. If they do not then they must warn that patient of the security risks before sending the email or text. There have been patient lawsuits stemming from electronic communication that was not sent in a secure method. Communication between healthcare practitioners has more stringent guidelines. All communication must be encrypted. Unlike with patients it is not sufficient to warn the receiver that it is not encrypted (HIPAA, n.d.).
NPR Radio Broadcasts
Privacy Law Frustrates Parents of Mentally Ill Adult Children
Date: June 4, 2014 Length 5:11
Summary: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was designed to protect patient's privacy, but it creates a dilemma for parents of adult children with mental illness such as schizophrenia. If their adult children will not share their medical records then there is no way for parents to tell if they are taking their medications or are in danger. E. Fuller Torry, a psychiatrist said that the law was not designed with mental illness in mind. In the meantime, parents say they have no recourse and must just rely of faith.
Link to Podcast and transcript
Repeat Violators of Health Privacy Laws Often Go Unpunished
Date: December 29, 2015 Length: 3:57
Summary: CVS Pharmacy has had several complaints about privacy. An example was when a patient's medication was delivered to his neighbor revealing that he had cancer. Other companies with repeat violations include The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Walgreens, Kaiser Permanente and Wal-Mart. The Veterans Administration has the greatest number of offenses going as far as posting patient information on Facebook. The Office of Civil Rights receives thousands of complaints each year, but has only imposed a handful of fines. Common complaints are giving the medication to the wrong patients, faxing health care information to the wrong people and loudly giving medical information while performing customer service.
Link to Podcast and transcript
References
HIPAA, E-mails, and Texts to Patients or Others. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hollandhart.com/hipaa-emails-texts
Privacy Law Frustrates Parents Of Mentally Ill Adult Children. (2014). NPR.org. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2014/06/04/318765929/privacy-law-frustrates-parents-of-mentally-ill-adult-children
Repeat Violators Of Health Privacy Laws Often Go Unpunished. (2015). NPR.org. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2015/12/29/460828382/few-consequences-for-health-privacy-laws-repeat-offenders
Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know. Eugene, OR: International Society for
Technology In Education.
Privacy Law Frustrates Parents Of Mentally Ill Adult Children. (2014). NPR.org. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2014/06/04/318765929/privacy-law-frustrates-parents-of-mentally-ill-adult-children
Repeat Violators Of Health Privacy Laws Often Go Unpunished. (2015). NPR.org. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2015/12/29/460828382/few-consequences-for-health-privacy-laws-repeat-offenders
Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: Nine elements all students should know. Eugene, OR: International Society for
Technology In Education.
