Chugachmiut tells patients to stop using staff personal social media

Patients who have been messaging Chugachmiut staff on their personal Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat accounts need to stop, the Alaska Native regional tribal consortium said Thursday.

Appointment, medication and referral requests sent that way may not reach the right team. "Personal social media accounts are not approved or secure channels for patient/client communication and may not be regularly monitored for work-related messages," Chugachmiut said in the notice, which covers other personal messaging platforms too.

Chugachmiut runs clinics across the Chugach Region, including Seward, Chenega, Nanwalek, Port Graham and Tatitlek.

The guidance echoes broader professional advice. The American Academy of Pediatrics said in October 2023 that pediatricians who use social media should keep separate personal and professional pages.

Patients should reach their specific clinic, program or department through official channels instead. Chugachmiut pointed patients to its Patient Rights and Responsibilities policy for details on how their information is handled.