Hospital systems often encounter unintended compliance risks despite their commitment to following HIPAA regulations. Improving patient care and driving business growth through the use of data analytics are worthy goals, but when tools to support these goals are inadvertently misused, unexpected violations may result. Good intentions offer little protection from an allegation of improperly obtaining or sharing data, highlighting the need for vigilant compliance measures to avoid costly mistakes.
To elevate care experiences while attracting and retaining patients, most hospitals rely on data-driven insights to drive success. Failing to leverage actionable intelligence could affect an organization’s ability to provide personalized care and meet public health needs, making it difficult to remain competitive. However, collecting and releasing data without a conscientious strategy can be just as detrimental as failing to obtain it. These collection and usage challenges exist in two key areas: internal patient data – which is crucial for informed care, personalized treatment, and better outcomes – and marketing and website data, which is essential for enhancing patient experiences, market growth, and gauging consumer demand preferences.
The solution – responsible procurement and handling of data and digital marketing insights by hospitals – can generate useful information to improve patient wellness and operational efficiency without compromising compliance.
Access to internal healthcare data can improve patient outcomes
When leveraged properly, the benefits of in-house data utilization by hospitals are clear. According to a Society of Actuaries survey, 60% of healthcare executives use healthcare data analytics in their organizations. Of those respondents, well over half have noticed positive differences in patient experiences and cost savings – 42% reported improved satisfaction and 39% lowered their expenditures.
Data-driven intelligence enables the creation of treatment plans tailored to individual patient needs. For example, identifying high-risk patients early enough can allow for timely interventions and preventive care. For those who require the coordinated care of multiple specialists, data can help facilitate smooth transitions and referrals across the healthcare ecosystem. Combining updates in these areas with more personalized interactions typically leads to effective communication, higher customer satisfaction, and better overall outcomes. The collected insights can also help to optimize digital workflows, which reduces hospital wait times and administrative workloads.
With data analytics offering significant advantages in both patient care and operational efficiency, health centers must be able to leverage this information with confidence and in full compliance with regulations. From the outset, it’s vital to collaborate with an analytics team that possesses a deep understanding of both data utilization and compliance with HIPAA, which limits the release of a patient’s protected health information without authorization. When selecting pre-built systems for data collection, hospitals must carefully evaluate and thoroughly research their options to ensure the solution aligns with their needs and adheres to legal requirements.
Anonymizing data is another useful practice to ensure that any information collected cannot be linked to individuals. After anonymizing the data, hospital teams transform it into a suitable format, develop and validate predictive models or analytics using machine learning algorithms or statistical techniques, and then deploy the models to inform clinical decisions, improve health outcomes, or strengthen hospital operations. Ultimately, data insights are unlocked while maintaining patient privacy and regulatory compliance.
Digital marketing data supports hospital growth and service
Digital analytics data offers a wealth of intelligence that can be used to enhance patient experiences and improve care delivery. With 80% of consumers turning to the internet for health-related research and nearly two-thirds selecting a healthcare provider based on their online presence, implementing strong digital strategies is essential for organizations to draw in and retain patients. By analyzing online behavior and patient interactions, hospitals can identify pain points, streamline processes, and create engaging experiences. This approach informs design and functionality enhancements, optimizes online resources, and refines customer service programs, ensuring patients and families can easily find the information and support they need. When implementing marketing strategies that involve sharing data with analytics vendors, organizations can protect against incidents by partnering only with tracking technology vendors that sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). This safeguards against unapproved disclosures of protected health information (PHI) and maintains the privacy and security of sensitive personal information.
Hospitals using advertiser’s scripts to measure, optimize, or target ads must ensure they don’t inadvertently share PHI with unauthorized parties. Some vendors may scrape and send confidential health information to external recipients, leaving healthcare systems unaware of this vulnerability. To address the issue, it’s crucial to consult data and privacy experts who can conduct a thorough website audit to identify and evaluate the various third-party vendors and agencies tracking data on hospital systems. This audit should reveal which ones are inappropriately sharing data. With this knowledge, hospitals can work with trusted partners to find alternative solutions, prevent rogue tracking, and implement robust content security policies that prevent data piggybacking through third-party platforms.
Consistent HIPAA compliance begins with education
One of the main contributors to improper data usage is a lack of understanding about what HIPAA requires. To eliminate any confusion and make the consequences of non-compliance clear, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued guidance on the use of website tracking technology. The entity’s bulletin, released June 20, outlines the fundamentals of tracking technologies, their applications, and the necessary measures for organizations subject to HIPAA regulations to protect electronic PHI when utilizing these technologies.
When alerted to the potential risks of improper online tracking, hospitals often instinctively halt all data collection, but this drastic measure is unnecessary. By doing so, they would forfeit valuable insights that could enhance patient care and operational efficiency. Instead, healthcare systems should seek out analytics companies willing to sign a BAA, ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations. While not all companies will agree to this, those that do can provide guidance on implementing tracking tools in a responsible and compliant manner.
Balancing HIPAA compliance with effective data collection and usage is not only possible — it’s essential for modern healthcare organizations and the people who depend on them. Education on the nuances of HIPAA and recent guidance from HHS will enable hospital systems to confidently collect and appropriately use patient data to enhance care delivery from the ground up.
Photo: Ildo Frazao, Getty Images
Wendy Ertter serves as Senior Analytics Principal, Privacy Solutions Lead at Further, a leading data, cloud, and AI company focused on helping companies turn raw data into the right decisions. In her role, she specializes in working with stakeholders to lead the development and maturity of analytics programs that support business optimization and actionable insight.
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