How To Stay Professional and Legal Online

Legal InformationHIPAA
Written By Stacey Whitcomb

online medical professionalism and keeping it legal

ACU-021 I’m a freedom lover. I LOVE to navigate this world my way and rarely does it come close to the societal norm. I think a lot of Practitioners of Chinese Medicine are like this. We tend to be the outliers and renegades. However, I often see the tendency for Acupuncturists to sweep legal professionalism into the gray space. Not doing due diligence with the “seemingly small things”, like HIPAA compliant emails and posting photos on social media. It’s easy to gloss over these details when starting a practice and it’s hard to recall specifically from our education what best practices are. Our ethics and jurisprudence classes are short and relatively boring and mashed in between the high demands of memorizing an entire pharmacopeia. SO….this is my continued graduation gift to you. Let’s till the proverbial soil and plant some very healthy and robust seeds. In order to keep that seed alive and help it grow, we might encounter some tasks that are not fun but necessary for it to thrive. The same goes for your career and practice. Stay informed about the ever-changing climate and world of technology. Just like following the rules of nature, there are rules that you have to follow with your practice so that you can thrive. In this episode we are going to touch on some laws and practices you need to be aware of as new practitioners. Make sure the light shines on the soil. No shady practices here. We are talking mostly about your online presence and what you need to be aware of with regards to social media, HIPAA compliance, BAA agreements, webinars, emails, phones, and newsletters.

today’s guest

RACHEL SCHUMONT, ATTORNEY, OWNER AT COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS

My name is Rachel and I am an attorney that specializes in legal issues that affect your business. 

I began my legal career as a litigation attorney in Northeast Florida but after years of working in a courtroom I felt drawn to another passion and chose to spend a few years teaching vinyasa yoga in Southern California. While teaching, I quickly learned how little yoga teachers understood about their businesses and worked to educate yoga teachers on the nuances of their businesses and help them identify areas where they could limit their liability. From there my business grew and expanded to include other areas of health and wellness. Through my practice, Counsel for Wellness, I work with acupuncturists, dietitians, movement and fitness instructors, health coaches, and others in the wellness field to establish business entities, review and negotiate contracts, get solid legal documents in place, and address any other legal issues that arise along the way.

My experience has been that many business owners put off getting their legal affairs in order because they believe it to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With Counsel for Wellness my goal is to make your legal issues accessible so that you can focus on growing your business and caring for your people. 

FIND HER HERE:

INSTAGRAM @COUNSELWELLNESS

COUNSEL FOR WELLNESS WEBSITE

you’ll learn

  • What services you might hire an attorney to provide you business.

  • PHI defined and exactly what our responsibilities are.

  • What is a BAA and why is it necessary.

  • Should you really be asking for advice on cases on Facebook??!!!

  • Can an Acupuncturist also be a Health Coach? If so, what legal protection would a practitioner need in place when coaching?

  • How does HIPAA influence our relationship with patients on social media?

  • Does your newsletter need to be HIPAA compliant? What about your phone? Yes and yes. I have a solution for you.

resources

call to action

Stacey Whitcomb
Previous

Guest Interviewer and Student, Sarah LeVaque LMT, Interviews Me!
Next

Case Study: A Classical Chinese Medical Herbal Case Study with Phil Settels DAOM, of ACCHS