Doctor booted for Facebook post

The firing of a Rhode Island doctor who posted information about a patient on a social-networking site shows a growing concern regarding the use of social-networking sites by physicians, according to the Boston Globe.

Dr. Alexandra Thran was fired last year after she posted information about a trauma patient on Facebook. Thran did not name the patient, but she gave enough information for a third party to identify the person. The Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline also found her guilty of unprofessional conduct, and she received a reprimand and a $500 fine.

Nurses and other hospital staff at one Wisconsin and several California hospitals have also been fired in recent years for discussing or posting photographs of patients online.