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service ISDH 2016 27 towns information goes around quickly. In addition, no information re- garding medical findings must be given over the phone as anybody, based on the smallest piece of infor- mation, can subsequently pretend to be a family member and gain further data access. Moreover, a situation turns awk- ward if a patient is transferred to an- other member of staff in order to clar- ify a question and involuntarily wit- nesses, while supposedly on hold, the following exchange: “There is Mrs. XY on the phone for you once again inquir- ing about the bill. She just doesn’t get it.” That sort of information must never pass to visitors of a practice and will only upset the person concerned on the phone. Hence, pay attention to com- munication in a respectful manner, even if the patient on the other end of the line is securely being put on hold. No unnecessary risk with emails Patients are not always easy to reach and appreciate the fast and sim- ple communication via email or phone. As we live in a digital world, we gener- ally meet our obligation to inform and get in touch with one another by per- forming one simple mouse click. How- ever, it is not that simple for practices dealing with sensitive information and patient data. Do not send any sensitive information via email. Firstly, the re- quests might come from unauthorized persons. And secondly, internet users with relevant experiences can easily decrypt any data that may not be ade- quately encrypted and hence, access the information as easily as reading greetings on a post card. Faxes can also be risky: fax machines often stand in open areas or common rooms with easy access for everyone. Moreover, ty- pos occurring when entering a number have the potential to send the informa- tion to the wrong person or address. So do not take any unnecessary risks and chose the rather old-fashioned mailing route or a personal conversation with the patient on-site. No onlookers in the waiting area Long queues at reception can present themselves as scenes on a stage to be followed by an audience of waiting patients. If confidential data is discussed in front of third parties it can make the person concerned very uncomfortable. Confidential data has to stay confidential. Discussions of any related nature must not be carried out in “public” areas. Discuss any ques- tions or concerns with the patient, if possible, in a consultation, or a treat- ment room. That way you can avoid for information to land in the wrong ears. Secure computers in treatment room EDP programs are standard in practices today as the day-to-day de- mands of a modern practice can no longer be dealt with without IT sup- port. Basic requirements of an up-to- date software program include patient administration, fees catalogs, cost es- timates, electronic accounting, own laboratory, billing of private invoices and management of documents, X-ray control book, schedule planning, on- line appointment booking, controlling and financial planning as well as ar- chiving. The valuable information cre- ated by those features is not only ap- preciated by the respective practice but also by potentially nosy patients. Often, patients are left alone in a treat- ment room while waiting for the doc- tor to finish off the treatment in an- other room. Some of those pa- tients do not follow the request and stay seated but take a curi- ous look around. In such instances, the room’s computer can become a source of curiosity and it is in fact not uncommon to catch pa- tients accessing electronical data. Hence, secure your data against undesirable access. Do not leave elec- tronic files open unless a member of staff is present in the treat- ment room and always use se- cure passwords. Third parties not wanted According to a sur- vey undertaken in Feb- ruary 2016 regarding digital data by the German Federal Min- istry for Justice and Consumer Protection, 32 per cent of the par- ticipants stated that their personal health data is nobody else’s business and 49 per cent of the partici- pants specified that they themselves de- termine who is al- lowed access to their personal health data. Make sure that your patients can always rely on your discretion. A pa- tient’s medical state must never be disclosed to family members unless the patient’s consent has been given in advance. In the event that a patient cannot protect his or her own interests anymore, needs family assistance or the support of a third party, a written authorization is mandatory to enable the person of trust to take actions and make decisions. Infos zur Autorin About the author Christa Maurer Kommunikation und Management Schneehalde 38 88131 Lindau, Deutschland kontakt@christamaurer.de www.christamaurer.de Kontakt | contact JETZT ANMELDEN ZWP online Newsletter Schweiz Das wöchentliche Update mit News aus der Dentalwelt und -branche für die Schweiz. FINDEN STATT SUCHEN www.zwp-online.ch Anmeldeformular Newsletter www.zwp-online.info/newsletter ANZEIGE © Vladimir Gjorgiev/Shutterstock.com ISDH 201627