7.6 Other Policies

A. Clinical Care Activities and Revenue

For Instructor appointments for which clinical care activity is applicable, the Practice Policy for the Physicians and Psychologists in the School of Medicine governs all clinicians in the School of Medicine involved in clinical care activities and the revenue generated by them. Compliance with this policy is a condition of employment.  The policy is available at  http://med.stanford.edu/academicaffairs/documents/rules-of-practice.pdf.

B. Patent and Copyright

All employees are required to sign a Stanford University Patent and Copyright Agreement. The policies at http://doresearch.stanford.edu/policies/research-policy-handbook/intellectual-property apply to all individuals who work at Stanford, or who come here to engage in research.

C. Data Security

The School of Medicine Data Security Program mandates enterprise backup and encryption of all computers and mobile devices used for Stanford business by faculty, staff, students and other affiliates, if the device might store or access Protected Health Information (PHI) or other High Risk Data. This requirement applies to both Stanford-owned and personally-owned equipment. All individuals in the School of Medicine must complete a Data & Device Attestation to identify whether they are exposed to High Risk Data and, if so, the kinds of devices they use. Every Instructor must submit a Data & Device Attestation at https://med.stanford.edu/datasecurity within seven days of his or her initial appointment start date.

D. Conflicts of Interest and Commitment

1. Applicability of the Stanford University Faculty Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment

The general spirit of the Stanford University Faculty Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Commitment and the policies pertaining to consulting and other outside professional activities by members of the professoriate apply to Instructors, http://doresearch.stanford.edu/policies/research-policy-handbook/conflicts-commitment-and-interest.

In the case of an Instructor working at Stanford on a part-time basis, the general principle applies to the extent of the Stanford appointment. An Instructor on less than a full time appointment may engage in consulting relationships and other employment to the extent that those activities do not interfere with his or her obligations to Stanford and in compliance with all other University policies.

If a situation raising questions of conflict of interest or commitment arises, an Instructor is urged to discuss the situation with his or her department chair.

2. Training and Disclosure

All newly hired Instructors must complete the training tutorial the training tutorial titled Avoiding Financial Conflicts of Interest. This is a self-paced, web-based module designed to provide an overview of the high-risk situations that can lead to financial conflicts of interest for faculty. Additional information about the module can be found at the COI website http://stanford.edu/group/coi/training/training.html. It is available to all members of the Stanford community with SUNetIds through the Stanford Training and Registration System (STARS).

In addition, all new and continuing Instructors must disclose any outside professional activities that could reasonably be seen to be related to their Stanford responsibilities in research, teaching, administrator, or clinical care activities in Stanford's Outside Professional Activities Certification System (OPACS), https://opacsprd.stanford.edu.

3. Stanford Industry Interactions Policy (SIIP)

Instructors are expected to comply with the Stanford Industry Interactions Policy (SIIP) governs interactions, largely in the clinical and educational arenas, with the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and hospital and research equipment and supplies industries.  Additional information is available School of Medicine website, http://med.stanford.edu/coi/siip/.

4. Academic Appointment at Another Institution

A concurrent academic appointment at another institution is not permitted for an Instructor holding a full time appointment at Stanford.

E. Use of Stanford Name or Marks

The Stanford University or School of Medicine name or marks may only be used only in direct relation to Stanford-related duties, activities and responsibilities (Administrative Guide Memo 1.5.4). Questions about the appropriate use of the Stanford name are to be directed to the Office of Academic Affairs.

F. Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect

For Instructor appointments for which clinical care activity is applicable, California law requires certain individuals at Stanford to report known or reasonably suspected child abuse or neglect to the authorities. These individuals are known under the law as "Mandated Reporters". Information about mandatory reporting and links to the California penal code provisions are available at http://uhr.stanford.edu/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect. Employees and others who have been identified as Mandated Reporters for Child Abuse are required to sign the online "Acknowledgment of Mandated Reporter Status" form following instructions on http://uhr.stanford.edu/form-instructions.

G. Blood Borne Pathogens

The California Blood Borne Pathogen (BBP) Standard requires than an employee who has been determined to come into contact with human blood and/or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) participate in an initial training and an annual update training session for as long as he or she remains exposed to those materials. In addition, the employee is required to either be vaccinated with the Hepatitis B vaccine within ten working days of his or her initial assignment or sign a declination statement if he or she chooses not to be vaccinated.

H. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations provide significant privacy protections for the health information of patients and research subjects. As an academic medical center, Stanford University School of Medicine has implemented training for all staff to address the management of health data in research, education and clinical care. All new employees with the School of Medicine are required to complete HIPAA training within thirty days of the employment date, but, in any case, before the employee begins any work that requires handling of patient health information (PHI) or human subjects' health information. The training provides guidelines and requirements regarding handling of PHI, privacy, security, and other aspects of HIPAA. Compliance with School of Medicine policy, https://acp.stanford.edu/hipaa/hipaa, regarding HIPAA training and handling of confidential/private PHI is required and a condition of employment; failure to complete training, or any inappropriate handling and/or disclosure of PHI may be grounds for termination.

I. Sexual Harassment

Stanford University's sexual harassment policy appears in Administrative Guide Memo 1.7.1. California AB1825 mandates that all faculty and supervisory staff must complete at least two hours of sexual harassment prevention training at least every two years. Newly hired or promoted faculty and supervisors must complete this training within six months of employment or promotion. The University cannot exempt any supervisors -- faculty or staff -- from this legal obligation. Failure to complete the training by the deadline date will be reported to the Dean and the employee may not be able to remain in a supervisory role.

Printable version of this section of Chapter 7 (pdf)