The security of patient healthcare data is necessary to win patient trust. People share everything with medical professionals when they know that their sensitive medical data are secured. Failure to perceive privacy will destroy confidence in a heartbeat. The patients will be wary of revealing crucial information or even accessing the needed services thus breaking the fundamental aspect of patient-provider relationship.
This loss of confidence is one of the contributing factors to slow adoption of digital health tools directly. Patients who are cautious of data misuse will not use telehealth platforms and health apps and will not use electronic health record portals. Unless privacy protection is perceived with confidence the advantages of these innovations become non-existent. Fear dominates utility negatively putting a stop there.
As is proven by high-profile data breaches cases, there are physical risks that strain patients. These scenarios prove the fact that personal health data could be abused. This view of the vulnerability discourages people to enjoy digital services notwithstanding the possible positive impact on health outcome or access.
It is vital to introduce and maintain strict data security measures. Data processing practices and fairly understood patient consent requirements are obligatory. Healthcare organizations should show their commitment to protect the information, taking up the responsibility of holding the information as a custodian of information belonging to the patients.
This will earn the trust required to spur the use of digital tools. Those patients who can be assured of privacy will use the portals, share their data to researchers through the apps, and adore remote monitoring. This opens up the possibilities of digital health-delivering higher-coordinated, more efficient, and more-personalized care.
Conclusion:
Data privacy of healthcare is essential to patient trusts and electronic digital health uptakes. Violations in security or insufficient security kill trust, and the application of the necessary tools becomes crippled. Focusing on stricter security and transparent data stewardship is not a good to have, but an absolute necessity when it comes to obtaining the benefits of digital healthcare. Technological advancement in medical care delivery requires the trust of the patients. Adoption is made possible through trust.
