Anyone know if VA employees and patients can be friends on facebook or other social media?

[Pete T]

I was recently hospitalized in a VA facility and overheard a conversation in which it was said that it was against policy for employees and patients to be friends on facebook or other social media. Anyone know anything about that?

[whbos]

Many VA patients can be and are friends with others on Facebook. I have a friend who works for the VA and he's a friend on my Facebook page. It depends on if you know them personally.

VA employees do not use Facebook, email or any social media to correspond with patients. They use secure messaging via MyHealtheVet.