By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    medicare part d benefits
    Everything that You Need to Know About Medicare Part D
    August 15, 2022
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    Best Ways to Boost Your Immune System this Winter
    November 15, 2022
    back pain issues
    Ways to Treat Constant Back Pain
    August 21, 2023
    Latest News
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    More On Wellness Programs To Improve Health and Reduce Costs
    January 25, 2012
    Privatizing Social Security and Medicare: Who Can Defuse Political Dynamite?
    June 12, 2011
    Study: Risk of Death in Elderly Patients with Dementia Doubled with Some Antipsychotic Medications
    February 26, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Mobile Health and Data Safety: Convenience vs. Privacy
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Mobile Health > Mobile Health and Data Safety: Convenience vs. Privacy
BusinesseHealthMobile HealthPolicy & LawTechnology

Mobile Health and Data Safety: Convenience vs. Privacy

Moira O'Connell
Moira O'Connell
Share
4 Min Read
pricewaterhousecooper privacy healthcare
SHARE

Technology may be revolutionizing the healthcare industry but while mobile health applications and cloud-based management are convenient, many think they may be compromising the privacy of healthcare data. The debate, which is so multifaceted there isn’t one way of looking at it, centers around how the healthcare industry can embrace mobile health while still securing patient data. In light of the Anthem breach earlier this year, the issue is becoming even more of a hot topic.

Contents
Balancing Convenience & PrivacyPreventative MeasuresThe Future

Balancing Convenience & Privacy

Did you know that Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ Health Research Institute marked balancing privacy and convenience when it comes to healthcare data as a key hurdle for healthcare systems in 2015? It wasn’t too far off either. While patients are craving more real-time ways to access their data, they are also demanding more protection when it comes to how healthcare organizations store and transmit that data. This building tension between convenience and privacy is something healthcare organizations may be forced to focus on in the coming year. Unfortunately, it isn’t a simple task of just choosing privacy over convenience either. According the PWC report (Top Health Industry Issues of 2015) “healthcare organizations must not neglect the demands of today, from reducing hospital readmissions to fully integrating data from electronic medical records. In the near term, many healthcare organizations must straddle two worlds.”

Still as much as people may want for more convenient, do-it-yourself methods from their providers, PWC reports they still are very hesitant about giving up that data. See the data from the PWC report below.

pricewaterhousecooper privacy healthcare

More Read

Finding A Cure For Alopecia: How Close Are We?
An Open Discussion Around Patient Engagement
Myth Busters #11: Mandated Benefits
Despite the Penalties, Physician Visit Innovation Is Progressing
“Unmet Recovery Needs” We Must Address

It’s also important to note that mobile health isn’t just for patients either. MobiHealth News pointed out that providers are just as eager to utilize mobile health and do-it-yourself benefits. Referring to the same PWC study that reported “one-third of US consumers said they would use a home urinalysis device, while more than 50 percent of physicians surveyed said they would use data from such a device to treat patients or decide whether they need to come in for a visit.”

doctors embracing mobile apps
via Pricewaterhouse Cooper

 

Preventative Measures

The balance between convenience and privacy really comes down to preventative measures and how healthcare companies can safeguard data for the future of mobile health, in addition to helping increase convenience for their patients and employees. Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ report suggests implementing these three strategies:

1. Key a close eye on data and watch for internal and external threats. Hire cyber security and keep the right safeguards in place.

2. Know your data. Keep a record of all devices that record patient data and make sure they are safeguarded properly.

3. Look to other industries. Learning how banks or financial institution safeguard data and work with mobile applications could be helpful to moving forward.

The Future

We know this issue won’t be settled easily but here is some food for thought. In interview with MedCity News, Robert Neivert of Private Me (consumer privacy company) brought up the idea “both government and healthcare should take a chapter out of the online banking sector by adopting closed-network systems.” Could this be the solution or will this still sacrifice convenience?  Tell us what you think.

Can the healthcare industry properly balance convenience and privacy in the digital age?

Originally Posted at BHM Healtcare Solutions’ Blog

TAGGED:Privacy
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025
a woman giving a key
How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
Health
July 16, 2025
a woman with kinesio tapes on her back arm
How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

Millennial Speak: Reaching the Next Generation of Healthcare Consumers

April 21, 2016

We Have Been Socialized to Be Passive Patients – But That Doesn’t Mean We Aren’t Engaged

January 26, 2014

Where Will Medicine Be 20 Years from Now?

April 22, 2014

The Ultimate Battle for Supremacy: Doctor versus Machine

December 5, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?