How You Should – and Should Not – Be Sharing Medical Information With Patients

 

E-mail, is a ubiquitous method of communication across all industries, both for professional and personal use. E-mail makes it easy for a doctor or patient to send and share medical histories or test results. Unfortunately, too many security breaches have shown that this is not a secure means of data exchange. It cannot be guaranteed that the data is encrypted both “in flight” and “at rest.” Furthermore, the e-mail provider varies from person to person, making it difficult to keep track of the security measures in place. 

 

Another common method of exchanging medical data is on CDs, which is not only unsafe, but inefficient as well. They take time to create and mail, translating into potential delays in diagnosis and overall care delivery. Postage costs and the cost of the CD itself are also a consideration. More importantly, the mail is not a secure or reliable means of transferring information, as it can be intercepted. Having private medical data fall into the wrong hands puts medical professionals and patients at serious risk. Losing or misplacing the CD is also an issue.  

 

A more recent method — online and cloud-based data storage websites — is proliferating, offering heightened levels of security and privacy control. While these new channels can significantly reduce risk, it is important to understand the differences among them. For example, physicians should be particularly careful using services that are not HIPPA compliant or certified. Under HIPAA rules, it is the responsibility of the healthcare provider to ensure the safety of patient information and data breaches. These incidences can result in fines totaling thousands of dollars. 

 

 

Not only can providers educate, they also can offer patients a secure service as an added value to their experience. Secure cloud-storage and exchange services that provide a fast and convenient link between patients and doctors do exist. Using HIPAA complaint providers is the safest and most easily accessible way to exchange patient information. There are a number of services available, both free and for a cost, depending on the level of functionality and storage needed in the practice.   

 

When choosing a cloud storage or data exchange provider, it is imperative to research what each service does and does not offer when it comes to security, and data breach compensation. Knowing the location of your service partner’s data center and their security procedures ensures that your data is fully protected and compliant even when faced with a natural disaster or a security breach. Ask questions regarding backup and disaster recovery procedures to know the consequences in case your data is ever lost. Check for downtime procedures and level of customer support guaranteed by the service provider. In addition, the provider should be willing to sign a business associate agreement (BAA), which reduces some provider liability for breaches on the server side. From the data exchange perspective, it is also important for providers to be able to track send and retrieve activities between patients and other doctors. 

 

As the demand for quick and direct communications between doctors, or doctors and patients grows, it is important to remember that not all methods of file sharing are created equal. E-mail, CDs and non-secure online and cloud-based data storage websites should be avoided when transferring private and critical medical data, due to potential compromised privacy risks and additional incurred costs. 

 

To ensure protection of patient privacy, research your data exchange provider to ensure their security protocols fall in line with HIPAA guidelines and reflect the needs of your patients and your practice. It is equally important to educate patients on how to utilize the same services when exchanging information to ensure compliancy on both ends.