Knowledge Library

While the news is full of high-profile HIPAA breach cases and assessments of multi-million-dollar fines, smaller practices are not immune. They often succumb to the same types of error and bad judgment that affect larger providers. Fortunately, by following a few sensible guidelines, even smaller practices can safeguard themselves against the improper disclosure of protected health information (PHI) that leads to a HIPAA breach.

Patient experience—“the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care”¹—is playing an increasingly significant role in the business success of medical practices. The impact is felt throughout the practice: online physician ratings, reimbursement levels, patient acquisition, and patient retention. In light of this, practices should consider ways to enhance the overall experience that patients have with their practices.

Physician burnout is associated with two-fold increased odds for unsafe care, unprofessional behaviors, and low patient satisfaction¹ and that electronic health records (EHR) are a leading factor in physician burnout².

“The Healthcare vertical is rife with Error and Misuse. In fact, it is the only industry vertical that has more internal actors behind breaches than external.”¹

Even with this grim realization, there is some good news for healthcare practices. Because more than half of healthcare data breaches are caused by inadvertent actions of employees, there is an opportunity for practices to greatly reduce their risk of attack with employee training and awareness that builds a pervasive “culture of security.”

Patients are turning to sources such as ZocDoc, HealthGrades, Vitals, Yelp and other online physician review sources, and reviews are impacting where patients seek care. A 2016 survey conducted by Software Advice found that 72% percent of respondents used online reviews as a first step in seeking a medical provider. While this percentage may appear shockingly high to some, it accurately reflects our nation’s current consumer landscape. With similar models for selecting restaurants, clothing, cars, and other retail businesses, it was only a matter of time until the healthcare industry followed. Understanding what these online reviews say — and don’t say — can help your practice develop a strategy for improving these reviews and aid you in developing a positive reputation online.