Data privacy is the practice of securing personal information and ensuring that it is only used for intended purposes by authorized personnel. While information protection has always been a concern, data privacy emerged as a critical issue with the rise of the internet. With many businesses online today, private data is a prime target of hackers.
Government regulators have responded by passing several data privacy laws, and most businesses have policies around the consumer information they collect. Still, data privacy remains a concern because information falling into the wrong hands can lead to fraud and financial losses.
Data Privacy in Healthcare
Data privacy has extra importance in the world of healthcare. Patient diagnoses, treatment plans, and prescription histories are considered highly sensitive and private information.
Since electronic health record (EHR) systems are now the foundation of most healthcare practices, providers must protect patient data from cybersecurity threats. In addition, legislation such as HIPAA and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical (HITECH) Act contain significant patient privacy requirements.
Which Data is Considered Private in Healthcare?
In general, all information contained in a personal health record (PHR) is considered private data. This includes the patient's conditions, medications, known allergies, and records of routine visits, hospitalizations, and surgeries. Under HIPAA and other regulations, healthcare providers must take sufficient action to secure this type of data.
Personally identifying information is another type of data that must be kept private. This includes a patient's name, date of birth, address, and Social Security Number. This type of data is also valuable in identity theft schemes. Providers are responsible for keeping this information secure in their health IT systems.
How TempDev Can Help With Data Privacy
TempDev's team of NextGen consultants, developers, and trainers support your needs whether you're looking to implement, switch, or even upgrade your current EHR system. From dashboards and revenue cycle consulting to automation and workflow redesign, TempDev offers the tools you need to make the most of your NextGen EHR system, with top tips and tricks that will ensure your success now and in the future.
With TempDev's NextGen dashboards, templates, and reports, you can better support your patients' needs. Our team is here to help you design, organize, and implement the whole system. We offer the tips that you need for your practice, so we achieve best practices. With hands-on training, you and your team are ready to handle all your electronic health record systems.
Contact us here or by calling us at 888.TEMP.DEV to get the help you need to implement your EHR system.
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