Doc: Securing mobile health data begins with device users

If the upside of mHealth is mobility, then the downside would have to be security. Smaller, more plentiful devices ultimately spell greater risk and, while we're not about to ditch our mobiles, there are some basic considerations healthcare professionals should weigh heavily in the weeks leading up to adoption.

As Barry Chaiken, M.D., former HIMSS chair and chief medical officer for Imprivata, recently told Becker's Hospital Review, "Hospitals should really be working so none of the data can be saved on actual mobile devices. That way, if the mobile device is lost or stolen, an individual can't log onto the device and view anyone else's personal health information."

Yes, that means keeping data in a cloud. Dr. Chaiken's also recommends getting creative with passwords and limiting how devices are used in hospital settings.

Better communication with clinical staff on how to safely use mobile devices and access patient health information should go a long way towards eliminating data breeches, and he highly recommends keeping up with technology trends as well.

As he summed it up for Becker's: "Patients should be able to trust their providers that their personal health information is being sufficiently protected. It's not only about being secure but also making sure unauthorized users don't access private information, whether that is achieved through authentication or privacy alert products."

Photo obtained from LG.