I spent some time this weekend chatting to specialist Healthcare Insurance Brokers at the exhibition and they were very pleased to see me. They assured me that the actuaries will sleep better knowing their clients are using iPEGS paperless forms.

Now I like a well-rested actuary as well as the next man, but my objective is to get them to discount insurance for our users. Not only is your risk less, so are theirs, after all.

For most practices, GDPR creates the need for greater investment either in consultant’s fees or in your own valuable time. Ensuring your operational processes are up to the required standards, ensuring websites, forms etc are designed and optimised for the latest protocols.

Large companies may appoint a DPO (data protection officer). However, for most of us DPO is just another hat to hang alongside the, therapist, counsellor, head of HR, finance, marketeer, sales manager and parent hats ti name a few. Being too busy is no defence in law unfortunately. I’ve always believed it’s a clever man who buys his brains. So if we can rely on professionals like iPEGS and save money into the bargain it’s a bonus.

COMPLIANCE INSPIRES TRUST

Compliance isn’t solely an expense, in order to conform to the rules, it helps to inspire trust and confidence in the eyes of our patients.

Companies who seem to cut corners with data protection might well cut corners elsewhere. Most of us are members of a National Hypnotherapy association and have no problems with Hypnotherapy ethical issues. Cutting corners is not in our DNA we understand our ethics and professionalism are all we have. So going digital make sense.

Compliance not only protects the patient, but it also protects your clinic from overstepping the boundaries.


THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CONTROLLING DATA

  • Are you or someone on your team trained on data protection?
  • What changes have you made this year to become GDPR compliant?
  • Have you built client consent into your system?

Clients can give consent in various ways, such as email, a contact form on the website, a check-box on your landing page, tick box on the form etc.

Consent records must specify the time and date when consent was given, as well as the exact means that they delivered consent. 

Can you simply and rapidly process data deletion for clients. Is it at the press of a button or will it take hours of work?

Do any 3rd parties have access to your client’s data? Third party access to data is all too common, third parties who might be using the same network or facilities, you need to be aware of any other parties who might have access to the data you’re collecting. This can be a particular problem in mixed therapy practices. Is it kept in a filing cabinet where others have access or a shared network?


WHAT PROTECTIVE MEASURES DO YOU HAVE IN PLACE?

Are there proper security protocols in place that will detect data breaches when they occur? How do you know if your client’s data had been hacked into or copied? The last thing you want is to find out about a data breach from your users and valued client. This is a sure-fire way to lose trust. 

How easy is it to export your data? Is it available at the touch of a button or is it a trip down to the cellar and a root through the filing cabinets?

One component of GDPR is privacy by design. This requires therapists to design their systems with the proper security protocols in place from the start. Failure to design your systems of data collection the right way will result in a hefty fine. It is a good idea to take a good look at your website if it hasn’t had a design overhaul in the last year or so.

Are your forms easy to find and wipe? Who has copies? Are you holding data on your laptop or PC? Do others have access to these devices?

The concept seems sort of complex, but essentially it refers to the need to have business systems designed with proper security and privacy measures integral. iPEGS paperless forms provides such a system.

If you would like to help improve the management of your client data and in the way you collect it please check out our website www.ipegs.co.uk or contact me us info@ipegs.co.uk.