Providers can use HIPAA compliant emails to share successful patient outcomes and testimonials with their current and potential patients, showcasing the quality of care provided by the practice.
Benefits of patient stories
Providers can use patient success stories as testimonials, giving patients with similar health challenges hope, inspiration, and reassurance. According to a systematic scoping review on the role of patients’ stories in medicine, patient stories can help physicians “improve their patient care competencies, and enhance moral reasoning.” In addition, patient stories can also help “in nurturing a physician’s individual and professional development.”
The study also found that patient success stories can help patients, where “the individual benefits of storytelling included improved psychological and physical well-being, as well as enhanced individualized care.”
More broadly, the benefits of sharing patient stories can “improve patient advocacy and personalized care.”
So, providers can use patient success stories to inspire hope in potential patients and showcase the positive impact of their practice. However, providers must adhere to HIPAA regulations when sharing these stories.
De-identifying information
Providers should remove or de-identify any information that could reveal a patient's identity, such as their name, date of birth, medical record number, or specific details about their condition or treatment before sharing their stories. However, de-identifying patient information is not sufficient for HIPAA regulations, “as determined attackers may still find ways to associate pseudonyms with real identities,” explains SecureRedact.
Further explaining that “even anonymized data can be re-identified through linkage attacks with other datasets. There have been real-life examples of data being de-anonymised by cross-referencing easily locatable information.”
Obtaining patient consent
Providers must first obtain explicit patient consent before sharing their success stories. This consent should outline what information will be shared, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. So, providers should clearly explain these details to help patients make informed decisions about sharing their stories.
Strategies for sharing patient success stories
Use a secure platform: Providers must use a HIPAA compliant emailing platform, like Paubox, to safeguard protected health information (PHI). These platforms encrypt PHI during transit and at rest, preventing unauthorized access.
De-identify patient information: Remove all identifying details from the success story, including names, dates, locations, and specific medical information. Alternatively, providers can use general terms to describe the patient's condition, treatment, and outcome.
Focus on the journey: Providers can use anonymized examples or composite stories that represent the collective success of patients without disclosing individual identities. For example, the HIPAA compliant marketing email can share a diabetes success story: "Patient X, who struggled with managing their diabetes but, through personalized treatment plans and lifestyle changes, successfully achieved optimal blood sugar levels and improved overall health.”
This HIPAA compliant email can detail the challenges Patient X faced, the strategies implemented by the healthcare team, and the positive outcomes achieved, all while ensuring no identifying information is disclosed.
Educate staff on HIPAA policies: Providers must ensure that all staff members involved in creating or sharing patient success stories are trained on HIPAA regulations and understand their responsibilities in maintaining patient privacy.
Include a disclaimer: Providers can also include a disclaimer in the email, reminding recipients of the importance of patient privacy. Additionally, patients and providers should be encouraged to respect patient privacy when sharing or discussing the success story further.
FAQs
Can providers use standard email for sharing patient success stories?
No, providers must use a HIPAA compliant emailing platform, like Paubox, when sharing patient success stories. These platforms provide security features like encryption and two-factor authentication, preventing unauthorized access to patient information.
Can healthcare providers share success stories without patient consent?
No, healthcare providers must obtain written consent from patients before sharing any protected health information (PHI), including success stories.
Can providers share patient success stories on social media platforms?
Yes, providers can share patient success stories on social media platforms with the patient's explicit consent, ensuring that no identifiable information is disclosed.
Go deeper: HIPAA and social media rules
