By Andrea Hall / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

As COVID-19 cases are increasing across the US and economies are starting to reopen, healthcare workers are continuing to fight against the virus. With mounting pressure on healthcare providers and researchers, healthcare professionals are observing the emergence of an underrated ally in this pandemic – patient data collection. 

Every COVID-19 case offers an opportunity to learn more about early and late symptoms, the longevity of the virus, and the recovery process. This information can be used to study, understand, and prevent viral transmission. However, navigating data collection and research processes can be challenging with shifting data privacy regulations.

As the coronavirus pandemic evolves, HIPAA requirements have changed to promote public health. But, as data-focused measures are used to protect the population and limit the spread, compliance and data privacy remain a priority. As the public gains more awareness and knowledge of their data privacy rights, particularly in the COVID-19 era, they are also developing higher standards for the protection of their data, especially when it comes to protected health information (PHI). As such, healthcare organizations and medical facilities must maintain patient privacy while collecting necessary patient data. 

Here’s how healthcare facilities and staff can successfully achieve both of these goals.

1) Understand data privacy regulations 

In this current health crisis, it is imperative that health organizations understand which regulations and exceptions apply to them and plan accordingly. In addition, healthcare organizations and their data security teams must regularly ensure that they remain in compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, despite any regulatory shifts due to COVID-19.

Without HIPAA compliance, healthcare organizations face the potential for fines and criminal charges. As we’ve seen in the recent past, healthcare organizations such as the Jackson Health System, University of Rochester Medical Center, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission failed to keep in compliance with HIPAA and faced the consequences. 

Employee education is also crucial for maintaining privacy. Each team member must stay aware of the regulations that affect their organization in order for the company as a whole to maintain compliance. With this in mind, it can be beneficial to implement ongoing security and compliance training as regulations continually evolve.

2) Centralize data collection

Healthcare staff should centralize patient data in order to eliminate confusion about where it is stored and to simplify organization. With an all-in-one secure web form builder and data collection platform, healthcare staff can create a more streamlined method of collecting and storing data. Data centralization not only helps protect patients’ sensitive health information, but it also simplifies data processing for staff members.  

3) Never leave PHI unattended

During the pandemic, more and more people are working remotely, which has led to an increase in the use of internet and online software solutions. To ensure that remote work doesn’t contribute to security issues, make sure all employees know to protect their computers and credentials. Even when working remotely, it’s always a best practice to secure sensitive information, rather than leaving it unattended. 

4) Encrypt sensitive data

By encrypting sensitive data, you are employing an extra line of defense against breaches. Encryption in transit and at rest provides an added layer of security, which can give your organization and your patients peace of mind. Unfortunately, healthcare data is potentially vulnerable to attacks during the pandemic, but proper encryption and other security best practices can keep your data safe while simultaneously adhering to HIPAA laws.

5) Use third-party integrations

Utilizing third-party integrations can help ease some of the inconveniences of patient data collection by sprucing up your new or existing web forms. Integrations such as Salesforce can allow for smoother processes such as setting up new patient accounts, updating information, and optimizing the patient experience with prefilled data. However, it is important to make sure that you are choosing not only the right integrations to meet your patients’ needs but also those that have strong security measures and comply with regulations such as HIPAA or CCPA.

As the COVID-19 crisis continues, healthcare organizations must follow these best practices to collect the data they need while simultaneously providing the level of security that patients expect. Medical facilities and healthcare personnel are accountable for how patient data is used and must make a concerted effort to adhere to these standards. 

By following these best practices for data collection, healthcare organizations and staff will not only be able to find the balance between data collection and patient privacy, but they will also be able to build and maintain trust with the patients whose data is being collected.