Privacy Concerns: Dutch General Practitioners Sharing Patient Records with Commercial Software Company

NOS | Jeroen van Eijndhoven

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 03:22

The majority of all patient records of Dutch general practitioners are copied and stored on a commercial software company’s computer on a weekly basis. That reports NRC that researched it.

GPs share personal data of patients because, according to the newspaper, they are not aware of it, have no problems with it or because they have no other choice. The practices need an information system that allows them to collaborate with other practitioners in the region. This is mainly intended for the care of patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and COPD.

The widely used software system from the company Calculus in Leiden says it can simplify that care. To this end, the company makes a copy of the entire patient administration of a general practice every week, including people without a chronic illness. The company is part of a Canadian investment company.

The privacy laws prescribe that too much data should never be stored in one place. As a result, the consequences of a leak or a hack remain limited, is the idea.

In 2018, the Dutch Data Protection Authority conducted a preliminary investigation into the Leiden company, but saw no reason for a follow-up investigation. The regulator tells NRC that all data is stored encrypted, that it is not shared further and can only be viewed by general practitioners.

‘No choice’

Still, some doctors are concerned. “I actually had no choice,” says a doctor to the newspaper. “To this day, I’m amazed that I’m exchanging data that some of my patients have never been asked if they’re okay with it. I’m not comfortable, still not.”

The National Association of General Practitioners (LHV) says that general practitioners are ultimately responsible for which data is and which data is not shared. The association says it has been committed for years to a stronger position towards ICT suppliers.

“There is currently too little freedom of movement and transparency for GP practices: switching is complex, time-consuming and sometimes also expensive and there is too little clarity about costs and what you get for it,” an LHV lawyer told the newspaper.

2023-07-19 01:22:08
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