Writing Policies That Reduce Legal Risks

Never assume people are reading your policies the way you wrote them I once rolled out an updated data classification policy for an organization that handled regulated financial data. I had worked with legal and information security to make sure the policy was accurate, aligned with regulatory requirements, and covered all use cases. It defined four data categories, from public to restricted, with clear handling rules. I published it on the intranet, announced it through a company-wide email, and moved on. A few months later, during a routine vendor risk review, we found out that several departments had been emailing spreadsheets with confidential client data to third-party vendors without encryption. These files should have been labeled “restricted” under our policy, but no one had marked them, and no protections were in place. When we followed up, the response was the same across multiple teams. They had read the policy, but they had different interpretations of what qualified as restricted. One team thought it only applied to personally identifiable information. Another believed the rules only applied to formal reports, not ad hoc files. A few people admitted they were still using the old classification from a previous policy version. That incident created a serious risk exposure. We had to contact the vendors, implement new controls, and retrain multiple business units. We also had to report the issue to our internal risk committee. That experience taught me something I should have realized earlier. Publishing a policy is not the same as landing it. Just because something is written clearly to you does not mean it is clear to your audience. Now, every time I roll out a policy or a control, I schedule short walkthroughs with key stakeholder groups. I ask how they interpret the requirements, and I explain exactly how the policy maps to their work. I include examples that reflect real scenarios from their environment. I also check back a few weeks later to confirm the message stuck. The hardest part was realizing that my job was not just to write the right thing. It was to make sure people understood it, remembered it, and followed it. That change in mindset has made every policy more effective and every rollout more trusted. #GRC

Policies and Procedures- We continue to navigate an increasingly complex legal and clinical landscape, it’s essential to reinforce a key principle: hospital policies and procedures are not the same as the legal standard of care. This same principle applies in other areas published guidelines without the effect of law or contract. Policies and protocols serve as internal guidance tools. They provide helpful structure, but they are not—and should not be interpreted as—fixed rules that apply in every clinical situation. The actual standard of care is determined by what a reasonably prudent healthcare provider would do under similar circumstances, considering the specific context and the provider’s professional judgment. For this reason: -All policies should clearly state they are intended as guidelines and not inflexible mandates. This language protects both patient care and the legal defensibility of clinical decisions. -Training and documentation must reinforce this distinction. Staff should be prepared to explain how their decisions reflected sound clinical judgment, even when those decisions deviated from internal guidance. -Be alert to litigation tactics. Plaintiff attorneys often try to blur the lines between internal policies and the legal standard of care. This misrepresentation can put our providers and institutions at significant legal risk. In every case, it is clinical reasoning—not bureaucratic checklists—that defines quality care. Ensuring clarity in our policies, consistency in our training, and confidence in our courtroom strategy are all vital to protecting our people and the patients they serve.

90% of teams using AI have zero internal policy. That’s a big risk. Most marketers skip AI policies because they think it slows teams down. The right one actually speeds everything up. It ensures compliance, protects data, and aligns AI with your brand’s integrity. Here’s why an AI Use Policy is non-negotiable: 1/ Legal Compliance: Navigate the Regulatory Maze → Laws like GDPR, CCPA, and Australia’s Privacy Act demand strict data handling. → An AI Use Policy ensures your team avoids costly fines by outlining compliant practices. 💡 Marketers: Train your team on regional laws to prevent accidental breaches. 2/ Data Protection: Safeguard Client Trust → Entering client names or personal data into AI tools risks leaks or misuse. → A policy bans sensitive inputs, preserving confidentiality and brand reputation. 💡 Marketers: Use the policy’s data privacy rules to guide AI prompts and avoid sharing personal information. 3/ Content Integrity: Maintain Brand Authenticity → AI can generate misleading content if unchecked, damaging credibility. → A policy mandates human review to ensure all outputs align with your brand’s voice. 💡 Marketers: Set up a review checklist based on the policy to catch errors before publication. 4/ Clear Boundaries: Empower Safe AI Use → Without rules, teams may misuse AI for prohibited tasks like fabricating reviews. → A policy defines approved uses and prohibited ones, reducing risks. 💡 Marketers: Share the policy’s approved use cases during onboarding to align new hires quickly. 5/ Team Confidence: Boost Adoption with Support → Small teams may hesitate to use AI without guidance. → A policy with training and a named AI lead encourages confident, effective use. 💡 Marketers: Appoint an AI champion to answer questions and share best practices regularly. 6/ Scalable Framework: Future-Proof Your Strategy → AI tools and laws evolve rapidly, requiring regular policy updates. → A review schedule keeps your team adaptable and compliant. 💡 Marketers: Monitor legal changes via AI lead updates to tweak the policy proactively. Creating an AI policy is something many companies skip. Don't be one of them. An AI Use Policy transforms a marketing team into a compliant, confident, and creative powerhouse, leveraging AI responsibly to elevate campaigns while protecting your brand. Want to see a full sample AI policy for a marketing team? 👇 1/ Send me a connection request. 2/ Drop "AI policy" in the comments. 3/ I'll send you the link. ____________ ♻️ Repost if your network needs to see this. Follow Carolyn Healey for more AI content. DM me if you want me to help you create a custom policy for your team.