The Jamaica Observer published an article on August 26, 2020, about digitization and how it could enhance efficiency in the health care industry, and how the Data Protection Act could address the concern of security as it relates to patient information. Here’s a quick summary just for you.
The health care sector is one industry that stands to benefit from digitization. A powerful tool for the health and well-being of Jamaicans could be digitization in the health industry while maintaining individual privacy. At present, data management systems for health care are specific to each practitioner and are in most cases, kept in filing cabinets, or personal cloud storage.
Key points:
- The digitization of Healthcare Data Management (HDM) systems is one of the most efficient methods. This method would create a system that gives patients a holistic view, enable personalized treatments, improve communication between doctors and between patients and doctors, and improve health outcomes.
- There must be a simplified process of sharing historical health data that protects the privacy of patients to achieve this.
- Often the principle of data sharing on a large scale can cause hesitation and discomfort. Resistance to the implementation of HDM systems is driven mainly by scepticism in the general public’s eyes.
- The Data Protection Act that was recently passed by the Jamaican government will hold businesses accountable for the protection of the data that they collect, store and process. The Act makes it possible to develop a client-centred health sector that aims to optimize the use and understanding of the patient’s health history. It also encourages the general population to take responsibility for their well-being and to have meaningful conversations with their health care providers.
- A fusion of health, science and technology must occur in this digital age. With that comes tremendous pressure on health care professionals to use this data responsibly.
Reference: jamaicaobserver.com
Contributed by: Sabrina Shim from Jamaica. Sabrina is a member of the WISC Discord group from the G5 Cyber Security Foundation Ltd. Learn more about WISC (Women in InfoSec Caribbean) at wiscaribbean.org. WISC is a non-profit initiative supporting Caribbean women and girls to develop a career in Information Security.