People value their privacy, yet the cost and risks of maintaining it are usually ignored. In healthcare, it is not always well-defined to balance maintaining the confidentiality of a patient's protected health information (PHI) and accessing information that would lead to good treatment.
So, should patients keep their information private, or is sharing this information better for treatment?
On the surface, the answer is quite simple: no compromise on patient privacy whatsoever. Medical information is arguably the most sensitive personal data a person would have. However, there is a financial and clinical cost to keeping medical information private.
If healthcare professionals can't access comprehensive PHI, they can't truly make an informed decision. On the other hand, when patients divulge everything, they open themselves to potential data breaches.
What does the research show?
According to a study on patient preferences and willingness to pay, "Over 95% of patients were willing to share all their medical information with their treating physicians," even in sensitive settings like psychiatric or HIV clinics. These findings oppose the general belief that patients will be excessively cautious in disclosing private health information. In fact, patients seem to understand that providers need access to their information to provide a better service.
Even when it came to highly protected information, like genetic testing results, drug and alcohol treatment records, and HIV statuses, patients showed little hesitation to share. "There was no difference in sharing preference between standard medical information and information with additional legal protections," the study noted.
That does not mean the patients don’t value privacy. The study found that "medical privacy was ranked… more private than other information, including tax returns and handgun purchases." This perhaps points to a nuanced view of privacy where medical information is clearly valued but not more than other forms of personal data.
Complicating this, "patients [are] unwilling to hide information from providers if there was an increased medical risk."
Furthermore, while patients cherish their privacy, financial constraints can stand in the way. These pressures influence their decisions, as evidenced in the study where "68% [of participants] preferred cost reduction in medical services to privacy concerns." Perhaps financial concerns influence our healthcare decisions more than we like to think?
Since the health care system is already an economic burden to many patients, "few were willing to pay more for additional medical privacy." That suggests that the economic realities are much larger than we would care to acknowledge in healthcare decisions, where patients must choose between affordability and data protection.
What’s the way forward?
Patient privacy should be a normal standard of care and not an added feature at extra cost. Effective medical treatment can only happen when patients have the right tools, information, and protections.
It also involves reassuring patients that their privacy and security are protected. As the study explains, patients realize that sharing their medical data is needed for the best care possible.
So, our healthcare systems must give patients a choice without compelling them to trade between privacy and health.
In an ideal world, a truly patient-empowering health information system assures that sensitive information is only shared when needed and is always protected.
How do we empower patients?
We should empower patients with transparency, where patients can make informed choices about what they are sharing and why that data is needed. More specifically, using HIPAA compliant solutions, like Paubox, protects PHI without exploiting or increasing patient costs.
Providers must use a HIPAA compliant solution to reassure patients that their PHI is protected and used and in their best interests. HIPAA compliant emails also facilitate care coordination to enhance patient care, improve patient and provider satisfaction, and reduce healthcare costs.
Can we improve patient care while maintaining data security?
Yes, HIPAA compliant emails improve patient-provider communication, meeting patient needs and preferences for high-value, high-quality health care. This is especially true when patients' PHI is only used for safe and appropriate care that improves health outcomes.
Even when patients are discharged from the hospital, providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to follow up during their post-hospital care. They can check on the patient's recovery, explain how medication should be taken, and give instant healthcare advice. Patients can also ask questions about their treatment plan, allowing for ongoing communication that supports successful recovery.
How do we reduce patient costs?
The good news is that HIPAA compliant email solutions, like Paubox, come at no additional cost to patients. It allows open communication where patients don’t have to pay for unnecessary in-person trips to their providers.
HIPAA compliant emails also allow providers to securely share PHI with their colleagues to coordinate care, helping patients avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, readmissions, and complications.
Like, when a patient has to redo a recent blood test for admission in another facility, providers can securely email test results to the facility instead of having patients pay for the same service twice.
Providers can also use HIPAA compliant email templates to reduce man-made errors, like typos or incorrect entries. These errors usually come with big price tags, added treatments, and extended hospital stays that inflate healthcare costs for the patient as well as their provider.
Something as simple as using a standardized prescribing template will help avoid miscommunication that leaves patients with adverse drug reactions or even hospitalizations.
A template for patient discharge instructions could also relieve administrative burdens when sending instructions for follow-up appointments or medication guidelines. These proactive steps protect patient safety and cut expenses, like managing patient complications.
Ultimately, secure communication will create a more efficient healthcare system for patients and providers.
Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
FAQs
Do financial concerns affect patients’ decisions on medical privacy?
Yes, financial pressures often influence patients' priorities. For many patients, the affordability of care frequently takes precedence over their privacy. Consequently, they could risk their protected health information (PHI) to potential data breaches.
What are HIPAA compliant emails?
HIPAA compliant emailing platforms, like Paubox, use encryption and other security measures, like access controls, to safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI) from data breaches.
How does HIPAA compliance empower patients?
HIPAA compliance empowers patients by safeguarding their privacy and enabling secure communication with healthcare providers. HIPAA compliant communication gives patients more trust and confidence in their relationships with healthcare providers.
