At UConn Health, we use social media to enhance our reputation, increase visibility for our clinical service areas, engage new audiences, and promote news and accomplishments.

Personal Accounts

UConn Health fully affirms its employees' rights to voice their opinions and otherwise express themselves through their personal social media accounts. We do, however, ask that you understand your position as an affiliate of the school and a possible public persona. Here are ways you can better protect both your personal image and help respect your school or employer:

• Consider adding a disclaimer to your bio, something as simple as “all thoughts and opinions are my own.”
• Respect laws and copyrights.
• Reevaluate your privacy settings to keep content more “hidden.”
• Adhere to university standards and the employee code of conduct.

Conversely, there are some things you should never do on either a private or public account: 

• NEVER EVER post any form of patient information.
• Do not connect with, follow, or friend patients or their families. 
• Refrain from posting material that is obscene, defamatory, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another person or any other entity. 

UConn Health Affiliated Accounts

As outlined in the UConn Social Media Policy, additional standards must be met when running an account associated with UConn Health. This includes accounts for student groups, departments, residencies, etc. 

Before you open an account, you must meet with the UConn Health Social Media Strategist to review your plans and goals for the account. They will help you choose the right platform, determine the appropriate style of presence, and answer any questions you might have. 

 Some of the standards that must be met for a UConn Health-affiliated account include: 

• Maintaining HIPAA.
• Having a properly branded profile image (provided by the Marketing department).
• Linking back to a UConn Health official webpage within the bio. 
• As a state institution, we are not allowed to delete or hide comments on posts. If there is concern over this, please speak with the Social Media Strategist. 
• Providing at least two contact names that can be kept on file for future reference. 
• Maintaining consistent posting or shutting down the account if no longer active.

Social Media Best Practices

UConn Brand Standards Social Media