Introduction
Thank you for participating in Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) social computing. This feature was launched in response to member suggestions to the TMA Futures II Task Force with the goal of offering TMA members more ways to communicate with each other and share ideas about the practice of medicine or any appropriate social matter or shared interests. We encourage TMA members to connect in this forum – to learn, share ideas, and create personal relationships.
Before you enter into the discussion, please read the e-Forum Disclaimer and Guidelines listed below, which help set common expectations for participating in TMA’s social computing feature.
Please note that by utilizing this feature, you agree that you have read; you accept; and that you are bound by the following guidelines. The TMA does not edit or screen postings. The social computing feature is for TMA members and staff only.
List of Guidelines
1. Only subscribed users can post messages. Messages sent from non-subscribers are automatically rejected. Messages from subscribed members must be sent from the e-mail address known by the list software, or they cannot be accepted.
2. Include a signature.Identify yourself. Please include your name and e-mail address on all posts. People want to know who you are, and you want people to find you if they would like to contact you through our social computing network.
3. You, not TMA, are personally responsible for content you post.
4. Advertisements/Announcements.Do not try to sell or post unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, or other forms of commercial solicitation to the group. Reports of on-going research or studies or any content not soliciting for a commercial purpose are allowed.The social computing network does not accept advertisements and/or product announcements from outside publishers, producers of software, or other vendors or commercial entities. Announcements of resources, meetings, or conferences are acceptable as long as they are relevant to the interests and mission TMA and its membership or common social sharing. Try to keep these brief. Questions and discussion initiated by TMA members about products or services such as e-prescribing systems are appropriate. This provides a forum for help and recommendations among colleagues on the list.
5. Copyrighted Material.Members should not post any information or other material protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner. TMA disavows any responsibility, and you absolve TMA for any responsibility, for your copyright violations. By posting material, the posting party warrants and represents that it owns the copyright, if any, with respect to such material or has received permission from the copyright owner that covers such posting. Any hypertext links and any reference to any products, services, or other information by trade name, trademark, supplier, or otherwise do not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by the TMA. The TMA expressly disclaims liability related to the accuracy and content of other sites and use of any products or services referenced on any posting or in a linked site. You are strongly encouraged to verify the accuracy and reliability of content of any other sites before posting links to such sites.
6. Compliance with Antitrust Laws.TMA’s policy is to scrupulously comply with all antitrust laws, and TMA reminds all users to guard against activity that could be construed as a violation of the antitrust laws. Do not post any material that:
• references specific fees charged or paid for professional services.
• discusses prices, discounts, terms or conditions of sale with regard to medical suppliers or other vendors or terms and conditions of provider agreements relating to reimbursement levels, bonus payments, and other price or cost-related items.
• addresses salaries or terms of employment.
• attempts to allocate patient markets or encourage collective or coercive activity with regard to third party payors, hospitals, other health care providers, or suppliers.
• Includes information that could otherwise be construed to impose a restraint on trade and inhibit free and fair competition.
6. Prohibition on DefamationAll users shall refrain from posting any defamatory content on TMA’s social computing feature. Again, TMA disavows any responsibility, and you absolve TMA for any responsibility, for any defamatory statements. Expressions of opinion not constituting defamation are permitted.
Etiquette on the Listserv Message Writing
1. Always use a clear, descriptive subject line. The more descriptive you are, the more likely people will read and respond to your posting. Please do not use generic subject lines such as "Help," "Need help," "Please help," "Need Info," "Request." When you respond to a posting, check the subject line to make sure it still reflects the topic at hand. If needed, retype an appropriate subject line.Avoid (or explain) jargon, abbreviations or colloquial language that may be unknown to intended audiences. Abbreviations such as "PST" (Pacific Standard Time) may be completely familiar in the USA, but not network wide.Please heed TMA’s size restriction on attachments as follows: [To be completed by IT staff].
2. Message posting. Proofread your messages before sending to make sure they are complete and say, what you meant to say. Every posting should begin with a clear, concise introduction to the topic, or refer to the topic of a previous posting. There are often several "threads" of discussion going on simultaneously, which makes unreferenced postings confusing to readers.Please stay on topic when posting. The social computing feature is used for addressing a wide variety of topics and issues. A popular way of providing context is to quote verbatim from the original message. Please keep the quotations short and relevant. Cut out unnecessary text and repetitive signature information from previous senders.Although TMA attempts to maintain the security of this feature, it would be a mistake for participants to assume that discussions will always remain confidential or privileged. To the contrary, it is certainly possible, although highly discouraged, that comments made on the social computing feature could be forwarded to nonparticipants either by email or hard copy transmission.
Moreover, electronic communications are potentially discoverable in legal proceedings. Likewise, statements made through the social computing feature could easily find their way into public policy debates about physician reimbursement, medical liability, or other topics affecting physicians, as well as specific coverage or reimbursement issues. Thus, participants should use discretion in forming comments, particularly with respect to confidential, proprietary, or otherwise sensitive information.Protecting confidential and proprietary information.
Social computing blurs many of the traditional boundaries between internal and external communications. Be thoughtful about what you publish—particularly on external platforms. You must make sure you do not disclose or use TMA confidential or proprietary information or that of any other person or company in any online social computing platform. For example, ask permission before posting someone's picture in a social network or publishing in a blog a conversation that was meant to be private.Protect TMA’s business partners and vendors. TMA enters into relationships with corporate partners and/or vendors. These relationships should not be cited or obviously referenced without their approval. Externally, never identify a partner or vendor by name without permission and never discuss confidential details of a corporate partner or vendor relationship. Internal social computing platforms may permit business partners to participate so be sensitive to who will see your content. If a partner hasn't given explicit permission for their name to be used, think carefully about the content you're going to publish on any internal social media and get the appropriate permission where necessary.
It is acceptable to discuss general details about kinds of business and to use non-identifying pseudonyms for corporate partners and vendors so long as the information provided does not make it easy for someone to identify them or violate any non-disclosure or intellectual property agreements that may be in place with the business partner. Furthermore, your blog or online social network is not the place to conduct confidential business.
3. Common Courtesies. Kindness and consideration for others are prerequisites for list participation. Rudeness will not be tolerated. Members should not post any defamatory, offensive, profane, threatening, abusive, or illegal materials on the feature. Avoid profanity or offensive language. Debate about professional matters is welcome. If you disagree with something posted on the list, you have every right to voice your objections — but politely. You may also express your complaints directly to the person responsible.
4. Individual vs. public listserv messages.If you want to respond to an individual and do not feel your comments are relevant to the group, please respond privately to that individual’s e-mail address, not the list address. Send personal messages directly to individuals by entering the individual's address in the "to" field. When you want to write to an individual, do not just use the "reply" feature of your e-mail system to respond to a message — if you do, your reply will go to the whole list instead of the individual.Members are often interested in others' queries, and appreciate reading answers to most questions; but, if you are soliciting multiple replies, such as in a survey or publication offering, as a courtesy you should ask for individual replies to your address.
For some types of reference questions, you might want to solicit individual responses, but offer to summarize the responses for the whole list. This technique allows the information to be shared with the whole list, but in a summary form rather than in bits and pieces. Send individual "thank yous" privately; if you have received the information needed, it is courteous to send a "halt" message to the list to stop others from continuing to respond to a request (the person who provides the answer may also indicate that to the list). Other examples of messages that should be sent privately are requests for copies of offered materials, and "me too" messages (as in, "send me a copy of that, too"), survey responses, and very specific replies to questions that are not likely to be of general interest.
5. Your Opinion vs. TMA’sYou should not post anything referenced to be a TMA position or policy without citation to the source of your claim.
6. TMA's Business performance. You must not comment on confidential TMA financial or other information such as its future business performance, business plans or strategy, or other information which would undermine our advocacy efforts. TMA invites opinions and constructive dialogue about its performance but members should always keep in mind that what is posted may be re-published to the public. Medicine must strive to keep a united front and not provide our opponents with fodder to weaken us.
Removal from the Feature
TMA reserves the right to terminate access to any member without notice who does not abide by these guidelines.
Disclaimer
The TMA is not responsible for material posted by any member and does not guarantee the content, accuracy, or use of the content in the listserv. TMA specifically disclaims all liability for claims or damages that may result from any posting by members. TMA reserves the right to remove any materials the TMA considers objectionable or potentially violative of any law.
TMA accepts no responsibility for the opinions and information posted on this feature. Such opinions do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of TMA. In no event shall TMA be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data, or profits arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of any information posted on this feature. For more information, see our e-Forum Disclaimer.