HCCS Releases New Social Media Online Training Course

JERICHO, N.Y., March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Care Compliance Strategies, Inc. (HCCS), the leading provider of online healthcare compliance and competency training, today announced the release of a new online training course, Responsible Use of Social Media in Healthcare. The course defines the risks and consequences of social networking and provides guidance to help employees use social media responsibly.

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The Responsible Use of Social Media in Healthcare online training course educates staff on topics such as:

• Recognizing the value and the risks and consequences of using social media
• Identifying the negative impact of improper use of social media
• Defining best practices for using social media
• HIPAA and privacy concerns

With a smartphone and camera in almost every employee's pocket and the widespread use of social media sites, healthcare facilities must provide guidance to their staff members or open themselves up to significant risk and liability.  Improper or irresponsible use of social media by staff members can result in federal and state regulatory violations and fines, the illegal release of patient information, a damaged reputation, negative publicity, a loss of patient trust, lowered staff morale and the loss of business.

Using real-life examples, this new online course demonstrates proper and improper use of social media in a healthcare setting.  The course features highly engaging and interactive elements with case examples. Content can be customized to include your own logo, company contact information, and links to your policies and procedures. This course is SCORM and AICC compliant for easy integration with HCCS' SimPL Learning Platform or your organization's own Learning Management System. Completion of the course and final assessment provides learners with a certificate of completion.

"Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn continue to gain popularity, which also brings about increased risk for healthcare facilities," says Ben Diamond, President of HCCS. "Adding this course to the HCCS course library gives healthcare facilities the educational tools they need to reduce their legal risk and prevent potential violations, fines, and other consequences that come with improper postings on social media sites."

A free demonstration of the Responsible Use of Social Media in Healthcare course is available now at www.hccs.com.

About HCCS
HCCS is the leading provider of effective online training courses and learning management systems to healthcare facilities. HCCS has provided over 7 million hours of compliance and competency training courseware to hospitals, teaching facilities, medical schools, health plans, nursing facilities and other healthcare entities. Courses address critical compliance issues for all staff and administrators in Medicare, Medicaid, HIPAA, Quality Improvement, Research Compliance, Conflicts of Interest, OSHA, Patient Experience, ICD-10 and many other areas.

For more information about HCCS products, contact HCCS at (877) 933-4227, by email at [email protected], or via the web at www.hccs.com.

SOURCE Health Care Compliance Strategies, Inc.