According to the Accenture 2020 Digital Health Consumer Survey, only 45% of healthcare consumers trust technology companies to keep their digital healthcare information secure.[i] This poses the question: why are we okay using services like digital banking, for example, but apprehensive about technology in healthcare?
We took a closer look
As a health technology company, we did the research and found three resounding reasons why there is a lack of trust in digital health:
1 – Privacy Concerns
A survey conducted by Aetna revealed that 80% of respondents reported privacy as a top concern regarding their healthcare information.[ii] In this case, privacy can mean a multitude of things.
Some patients think that real-time insights, whether health-related or not, shouldn’t be able to be accessed by anyone other than themselves. Others aren’t comfortable with the idea that more people than just their doctor can technically see their medical history. Many are nervous that technology companies will sell their health data
2 – Fears Over Security
The same survey reported 76% of respondents consider security a top concern as well. Hackers have become more and more common, leading to data breaches in the last decade that have resulted in the exposure of millions of healthcare records.[iii]
3 – Negative Past Experiences
Psychology experts say that bad experiences in our lives leave heavy impacts in our minds.[iv] When it comes to digital health tools, something as big as being a part of a data breach or as small as having used a glitchy healthcare app can turn patients off from the idea of technology in healthcare as a whole.
We get why you’re apprehensive
We understand your concerns. Health information is very sensitive, and your concerns are exactly why confidentiality, security, and user experience are top priorities for us.
Your healthcare information is safe with us – here’s how
We believe health technology companies need to take every measure possible to keep your information safe. First and foremost, this includes staying up to date on HIPAA guidelines to always ensure the company is in line with them. It also includes things like encrypting data, restricting access, and doing routine vulnerability assessments. Finally, it includes holding ethics in high regard, meaning digital health companies should never invade user privacy and share their data with third parties.
We’re happy to report that EveryDose takes all these precautions and more. We value patient confidentiality within our medication adherence platform, which is why both our clinical portal and mobile app are extremely safe and secure.
We want to earn your trust
See for yourself firsthand – if you’re a provider, book a free demo today. If you’re a patient, download our app for free.
Cover photo by Unsplash
[i] Safavi, Kaveh, and Brian Kalis. “Digital Health Consumer Survey 2020.” Accenture, 1 Aug. 2020, www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/health/leaders-make-recent-digital-health-gains-last.
[ii] Gross, Art. “Healthcare Data Breaches Rise Along with Consumer Concerns of Privacy and Data Security.” Health IT Answers, 11 Dec. 2019, www.healthitanswers.net/healthcare-data-breaches-rise-along-with-consumer-concerns-of-privacy-and-data-security/.
[iii] “Healthcare Data Breach Statistics.” HIPAA Journal, 18 Feb. 2020, www.hipaajournal.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics/.
[iv] “Why Patients Don’t Trust Healthcare Providers.” Digitalis Medical, 6 May 2020, digitalismedical.com/blog/patients-dont-trust-healthcare/.
