The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) recently published guidelines on the processing of health data, aiming to guide the information collected to adhere to the law, guaranteeing patients the right to privacy and dignity.
These guidelines address long-standing privacy concerns, including the potential misuse of personal and health data.
Others are patient privacy and dignity, lack of transparency around data processing, and the risk of bias and discrimination in health data processing.
Indeed, the health sector in Kenya is one of the largest users of personal data, collecting, storing, and analysing vast amounts of personal data during various stages such as registration, diagnosis, storage, analysis and transfer.
Institutions that handle health information are obligated to process personal data in a lawful, fair, and transparent manner.
This entails collecting only the minimum amount of data required for health purposes and not keeping personal information for longer than necessary.
All entities involved in the healthcare sector must undergo mandatory registration with the ODPC. Streamlining and simplifying data handling processes are crucial for improving information exchange within the healthcare ecosystem, leading to better outcomes for insurers, providers, and members.
Just as a surgeon handles delicate procedures in the operating room, healthcare data should be managed with utmost care, securely and following a standardized set of rules by all stakeholders.
Healthcare institutions must maintain up-to-date policies and processes governing the collection, use, disclosure, accuracy, and destruction of personal health information, while also ensuring that personal data is securely stored and retained only for the necessary duration.
This collective commitment to standardized data handling safeguards sensitive information and enables the optimization of healthcare outcomes.
The health insurance industry is leveraging digitization and innovation to provide better value to both healthcare providers and members.
Technologies such as e-health and m-health are revolutionizing the transfer, storage, and access of healthcare data, leading to improved care coordination and patient outcomes.
The writer is the director of Risk, Privacy, and Compliance at M-TIBA and Vice-chair of the Kenya Privacy Professionals Association.
