4 Ways Emerging Technology Is Changing Patient Confidentiality in Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the biggest industries impacted by emerging tech. It’s propelled forward by developments in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, automation, blockchain, big data, and more. There’s even more potential for growth: currently, 86% of surveyed healthcare providers, life science companies, and tech vendors use AI in their processes. By 2031, the global AI healthcare market share is projected to be valued at $286.77 billion.

Increased efficiency, optimized manual procedures, and improved productivity are just some of its major benefits. But while it does serve its purpose, new tech brings along some risks as well—especially when it comes to privacy and confidentiality in healthcare.

This article looks at the impact of health information technology on patient safety, as well as the ways organizations can keep up with the industry’s best practices.

What Is Patient Confidentiality?

Patient confidentiality refers to every person’s right to privacy when seeking out medical treatment. In a nutshell, this means no one—your doctor, nurse, hospital, or any other healthcare provider—has the right to share your medical information without your consent.

Legally speaking, regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Data Protection Act are meant to ensure that patient confidentiality in healthcare is held to a standard. As this is a legal and ethical concern, any sort of malpractice may be ruled a crime or incur disciplinary action.

This applies to the doctors and healthcare providers themselves, the institutions, and the software they use.

Why Is Confidentiality Important in Healthcare?

For healthcare practitioners to give the best quality of care they can, a sense of security and openness must be established between them and the patient. Patient confidentiality is built on the trust between both parties and benefits both because:

• Patients are assured that their personal health information is safe and will only be used for their treatment. They are encouraged to share details regarding their medical experience and personal background to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
• Doctors can establish a relationship with patients based on honesty and mutual trust. This is essential to collect accurate, specific, and detailed medical history.

However, with technology creating more spaces for patients and healthcare workers to interact—whether through a custom software application, commercial system, or AI—the way patient data is treated and handled must change, too.

5 Ways Emerging Tech Is Changing Patient Confidentiality in Healthcare

For every added role technology plays in healthcare, there is a corresponding implication to confidentiality. Here are the ways today’s patients are affected by new tech:

The Majority of Patient Records Are Now Digital

Recent data shows that the adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems has jumped to 96%. This means the majority of healthcare providers rely on software to process and store sensitive information that can be accessed virtually anywhere. While this interoperability is beneficial, it also means an increased risk of unauthorized data breaches. If healthcare data is not adequately protected, anyone within the organization’s network—and even beyond—may access thousands of personal medical records.

Integration of AI Systems in Medical Practice

AI requires real-world patient data to train and test their systems, and these records are likely in the hundreds of thousands. For more advanced research to occur, organizations may be urged to grant third-party access to electronic health records. Patients may ask, whose data do they study? Which hospitals allow their medical information to be used to train AI?

There’s an added responsibility for those in healthcare to disclose whether any medical information collected may be used in AI training. Meanwhile, patients must also be vigilant in disclosing whether they consent to this or not.

Cybersecurity Concerns

With most patient data stored in a cloud or software, all it takes is one breach for all of an organization’s patient data to be exposed. Healthcare providers are required to keep this data secure. Basics include having strict role-based access control and two-factor authentication to guarantee that medical information is accessible only by authorized personnel. On top of that, the organization must also have detailed plans for response and recovery should any data-related incidents occur.

Integration of Other Programs

Healthcare providers often work with third-party vendors or suppliers for a variety of digital services. These could include health insurance, pharmacies, transportation, and more. Data sharing is necessary for all of them to work seamlessly, and this adds another layer of access to existing patient data. Trustworthy vendors and practitioners who understand the importance of privacy and confidentiality in healthcare will ensure that data sharing is secure and compliant throughout, but for patients, this is another factor to consider.

Best Practices for Patient Confidentiality

Here are some quick and essential tips to ensure the safety and security of data in patient care:

• Establish end-to-end encryption and secure communication across all channels.
• Train and educate employees on the proper and secure use of EHR software.
• Perform due diligence, risk assessment, and regular audits for all vendors involved.
• Choose a reliable software development company that can cater to your organization’s needs while observing the mobile app security best practices.

Safeguard Patient Information with the Taazaa

At Taazaa, we build custom digital solutions for the healthcare industry. We understand the value of privacy and confidentiality in today’s healthcare, and it’s a constant priority for all our solutions. As industry leaders, we keep up with the latest SaaS security best practices so you don’t have to.

We provide only the highest quality of service to our partners, giving them solutions to improve their quality of patient care and engagement. Whether you want to build your own automated remote patient monitoring platform, a new telehealth app, or a medical transportation dispatch system, we can help you make it a reality. Contact us today!