Data Integrity in Healthcare
Data integrity is one of the most critical struggles healthcare providers currently face. Overcoming these issues is the key to managing the reports, billing, and security of medical care with confidence. Everything in healthcare—from health record storage to patient care—relies on your practice having accurate, trustworthy information. Together, we’ll review the value of data integrity in healthcare and how you can manage data integrity issues in your practice.
Best Practices to Resolve Data Integrity Issues
With all the legal regulations placed on the healthcare industry, preventing data integrity issues within your practice takes time and effort to manage. To make the process easier, keep these best practices in mind:
Ensure HIPAA Compliance and Patient Privacy with Strict Security Measures
Every healthcare facility must meet HIPAA compliance. Simply put, medical providers must update their IT infrastructure with the latest cybersecurity measures to ensure patients’ privacy and protection. One solution healthcare providers use to securely store and share client data is through cloud-based platforms. Monitored by third-party IT experts, cloud-based storage restricts access to patient files according to IT administrative controls, thus allowing practice managers to retrieve medical documents without worry of a breach.
Maintain the Right Digital Infrastructure
Consider the time it takes you to check patients in or out for appointments, update insurance information, or account medical bills. Using software solutions such as accounts payable or content management, all data integrity in healthcare can be managed through interconnected applications. Linking these systems together, your practice can automatically check for data errors, gaps, or duplications while processing patient information. In turn, every aspect of patient processing and care can be streamlined through a coordinated digital infrastructure.
Continue Employee Education and Training
While restricting employee access to information can somewhat improve data integrity, these measures act as a temporary solution. The bigger issue at hand is keeping medical office staff up-to-date on the latest technologies, equipment, and cybersecurity practices needed to maintain compliance. Due to the limited time available to train employees, critical IT procedures and operations are not prioritized, putting your facility at risk of data loss or corruption. Thus, staying updated on the latest medical policies and technologies is crucial to continuing employee training on data integrity protocols.
Ensure Regular Data Updates, Backups, and Storage of Patient Records
Medical providers can’t afford to fall behind due to incomplete or inaccurate data. In such a competitive market, data integrity issues can put your practice leagues behind competitors. That’s why it’s important to ensure data integrity in medical records with frequent updates and backups of patient files on a secure, offsite platform. Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems make a great tool to manage and store reports on a real-time basis since information can be updated as patients are processed. In the event a disaster does occur, rest assured your practice can perform a timely disaster recovery using backed-up patient information.
Upgrade Your Healthcare IT with Kraft
Data integrity and accuracy is not something medical practices can relax on. To meet HIPAA and patient privacy regulations, your business needs the right IT tools and technology to store, review, and access data accurately. At Kraft Business Systems, we provide quality Healthcare IT solutions to promote the best data integrity and internal support your office needs to thrive. Interested in our services? Contact Kraft today to learn more.
