SHARE News, Near & Far
. . . well, not that far. But! We are excited to celebrate the newest addition to the SHARE family: SHARE-CHA! Physician Assistants, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and Physicians at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) have successfully organized a new SHARE union for their network of hospitals in Eastern Mass. Additionally, SHARE at Marlborough Hospital recently settled a new contract agreement, and NIH funding cuts threaten to have major impacts at research institutions, including our closest sister union at UMass Chan Medical School. Get an overview of some of the biggest developments regarding our unions [[here]].
SHARE Members Caught Off-Guard: Know Your HIPAA Responsibilities
SHARE has seen a recent spike in the number of disciplinary cases related to privacy issues. UMass Memorial treats patient confidentiality very seriously, and the result of a violation typically involves strong consequences, even when a caregiver’s intentions may be good. “I had no idea leaving my login open for others to use could have such an impact on my career,” said one SHARE member in a recent disciplinary meeting. Multiple SHARE members have even lost their jobs in recent weeks.
Our union values privacy. And we hate seeing SHARE members get in trouble. We encourage you to avoid these situations by understanding UMass Memorial’s confidentiality policies, and using only that Protected Health Information necessary to do your job. For example, you cannot look up information for your co-workers, even if they ask you, or even if you just want to get their address to send them a birthday card. “I just wanted to visit a friend in the hospital. I didn’t think about what a dumb mistake it was to look them up in EPIC until I was already in trouble,” said another.
You can also no longer use Epic or other hospital systems to access the account of someone else in your family, even if you have previously signed a waiver that permitted it; that information should be obtained by using MyChart. Make sure, also, to keep Protected Health Information secure, locking your computer login when you’re not using it.
SHARE Rep & Executive Board Elections Coming Soon
Are you looking for ways to make a bigger impact in our community, learn more about how our union and our hospital work, and help your co-workers? SHARE Rep and Executive elections are coming up soon. Elected SHARE Representatives pay a pivotal role in keeping our union connected. To better understand the different ways you can make a difference as a SHARE Rep, read more [[here]], talk with the SHARE Organizer for your area, or drop us a line at the SHARE office and we can set up a time to speak with you.
Beware Phishing! A New Scam
If you have clicked on any links in an email with the subject line "Payment Agreement Proposal” or “AFSCME.Pay Proposal,” please change your password asap. This a phishing scam. If you receive this email, delete it immediately.
Looking for a New Podcast?
The I AM STORY Podcast follows the history of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike as told by those who experienced it first-hand. You may remember that the strike led to a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement, culminating in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. It was a time when important threads intertwined between organized labor, black history, and even our very own union.
The I AM STORY Podcast builds a narrative that envelops listeners, transporting them back to the streets of Memphis, the sanctuary of Mason Temple, the homes of the workers and the union hall where these American heroes decided to take a stand against injustice.
