Mobile-enabled, HIPAA-compliant

There’s no question that mobile apps have the potential to improve patient care. When physicians and other practitioners have the information and tools to diagnose and treat patients in any environment – in the office, by the bedside, even on the commute into work – they save time, make more confident decisions, reduce errors and provide the most value for their patients.

But the challenge remains: How do you allow and regulate the use of mobile devices and tablets, which often include cameras and recording capability, in a clinic, hospital or academic institution while protecting patient privacy and adhering to stringent Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protocols? The answer is certainly not to ban or severely limit the use such devices, depriving clinicians of fast access to current information, medical alerts and updated formulary information. The solution is to set strict device policies and to educate your institution’s clinicians and students about the “do’s and don’ts” of mobile use in a clinical setting.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but according to the 2011 HIMSS Mobile Technology Survey, only 38 percent of respondents reported that their mobile use at work was regulated by any formal mobile technology policy. Such policies may include provisions that clinicians and students are expected to understand and follow HIPAA guidelines that personal health identifiers (PHIs) must be removed from patient data that HCPs collect on their mobile devices or that mobile devices must be password protected. Some educational institutions require students to put their phones on “airplane mode,” so that the students can access clinical information but are unable to receive or send text messages or make personal phone calls.

Hygiene is another issue to consider in a clinical setting. HCPs must avoid the use of smartphones when wearing contaminated gloves, wash their hands prior to using a device and avoid using smartphones in isolation and/or sterile rooms. These rules are often spelled out clearly within the device policy and are meant to protect the patients, but also clinicians and their families and friends who come in contact with these devices outside of the clinical setting. Having a clear and agreed upon mobile device policy is the first step in protecting patient privacy while allowing your clinicians and practitioners-in-training to do their jobs better and more efficiently.

Recently, the Academic Centers and Associations (ACA) group at my company, Skyscape, conducted a webinar on HIPAA Compliance in Nursing Education using Mobile Devices with a panel of faculty from across the United States. The webinar was attended by nearly 200 participants and included information about HIPAA, setting policies and educating students and clinicians about patient privacy and regulations.

Sanjay Pingle is president of Skyscape and Physicians Interactive Holdings and has oversight of the combined Pharma and eCommerce business. Prior to joining PI, he was co-founder and executive vice president of Medsite, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical marketing firm named a market leader by Forrester, Jupiter Research and Frost & Sullivan.