Electronic signature in the healthcare sector

As the healthcare sector moves towards a more digitized model electronic signatures are positioning themselves as an essential component to ensure security, privacy and legal compliance in the management of clinical information.

Healthcare organizations can optimize their processes by implementing these digital solutions, opening the door to a more agile, transparent and patient-centered medical care.

Improvement in medical processes: which ones and how

From hospitals to dental clinics to care companies, there are many entities that offer healthcare services. Despite the diversity of services offered by each of them, they all aim to meet the needs of patients. To this end, they rely on tools such as electronic signatures on a daily basis.

Do you want to know how this tool improves daily procedures, processes and user experience in the healthcare sector? Read on to learn more about its benefits in the healthcare sector!

Greater security

Many medical documents are managed physically, although law 41/002 on the rights and obligations regarding patient information and clinical documentation allows the use of computerized means to file medical records. However, filing them on paper is not the safest way to maintain the patient’s security and privacy.

In order to improve these key points, the advanced electronic signature is positioned as the solution. Thanks to it, the encryption of the information and the electronic evidences of the signature process are collected:

• Unequivocal identification of participants
• Their e-mail addresses
• Mobile telephone numbers
• IPs of the devices

Efficiency

As users of healthcare centers, we are aware of the large number of processes that are carried out in them and how healthcare professionals can sometimes be overwhelmed. In view of this, it is essential to have tools that help to carry them out in a fast and agile way. With the electronic signature, for example, any procedure can be carried out in a matter of seconds.

Quality

The healthcare system seeks to improve the health of patients by producing and improving the effectiveness of drugs. Although quality drugs are obtained, for healthcare organizations and professionals, it is also essential that the patient’s experience and satisfaction is optimal.

The use of technological tools can help in the process of improving healthcare quality. In the case of the electronic signature, the service offered to the patient is of higher quality since procedures become more optimal and easier to perform.

Sustainability of healthcare processes

The integration of this technological tool in the healthcare sector not only brings operational efficiency in processes and greater satisfaction, but also contributes significantly to improving sustainability. This aspect becomes an outstanding advantage, aligning with growing global concerns about environmental impact and the need to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.

Adopting sustainable practices, such as reducing paper use or saving energy resources, aligns healthcare organizations with environmental regulations and demonstrates a commitment to corporate social responsibility. This sustainable approach is not only beneficial from an environmental perspective, but can also enhance the reputation of the healthcare institution.

Use in clinics, laboratories and medical processes.

In this scenario of innovation and digital transformation, electronic signatures can be one of the most effective tools for the healthcare sector. In practice, this technological tool has different use cases in healthcare

Doctors and dentists: informed consent.

In the healthcare sector, the informed consent is one of the most commonly used documents. It is the document to which your patient gives his or her agreement with his or her signature before undergoing any intervention or receiving any treatment.

• What is it and what does it usually collect?

It is usually a form where the patient’s personal data is collected, in addition to listing the different risks that may occur. It must be accompanied by the patient’s own signature and that of the health professionals.

According to Article 4.11 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for informed consent to be considered as such, it must meet four requirements:

1. Free
2. Specific
3. Granular
4. Creditable

Viafirma’s digital solutions allow you to sign electronically from mobile devices such as tablets. In this tutorial we show you how to use them:

Laboratories: Test results.

By using digital tools for medical test results, unnecessary travel is avoided. This not only saves time, effort and costs for both the patient and the healthcare professional, but also reduces the environmental footprint.

Doctors and dentists: Prescriptions

This is a technological procedure that allows the patient to obtain the medicines prescribed by the health professional in any pharmacy in Spain, regardless of the autonomous community where it was issued. It will only be necessary to present the health card at the pharmacy and the appropriate drugs will then be dispensed.

Currently, all the Autonomous Communities in Spain have implemented the system of medication monitoring system. Thus, thanks to this tool, there is greater coordination between physicians and pharmacists. In addition, as the drugs that are withdrawn at the pharmacy are recorded, there is better pharmacological follow-up of the patient.

Viafirma, your technological solution for the health sector

As an industry professional, do you want to improve the security, efficiency, quality and sustainability of your processes? Viafirma can offer you management systems that will help you to streamline them, from a different perspective:

• Legal
• Efficient
• Safe for your patients
• And now also available from the convenience of WhatsApp

Contact us and we will show you how we can help you integrate this technological tool in the healthcare sector.