HealthSync Blog Series – Part 5

“Doctor, මගේ medical records එක secure ද? Internet එකේ hospital app use කරනවා, data leak වෙන්න පුළුවන් ද?“ – මේ ප්‍රශ්නය අද බොහෝ අයට තියෙන concerns එකක්🤔

Digital health era එකේ data privacy critical topic එකක්. Let’s explore why! 🔍

🚨 Health Data කියන්නේ මොකද? Why so Special?

Why So Sensitive? 🔐

Your health data includes:

• Medical history: Past surgeries, chronic conditions
• Genetic information: Family hereditary diseases
• Mental health records: Therapy sessions, psychiatric treatments
• Lifestyle data: Sexual health, substance use
• Insurance claims: Financial medical information

Once leaked = Lifetime impact! Credit card number change කරන්න පුළුවන්, but genetic data permanent! 😰

💥 Real-World Data Breaches – Global Horror Stories

Recent Major Incidents:

Anthem Inc. (USA – 2015)

• 78.8 million patient records stolen

NHS WannaCry Attack (UK – 2017)

• 200,000+ computers affected globally

Australian Red Cross Blood Service (2016)

• 550,000 blood donors personal data exposed

Patient Rights – ඔයාට තියෙන Rights මොනවද?

Your Fundamental Rights 📜

🔍 Right to Know

• Who has access to your data?
• How is it being used?
• Where is it stored?
• When was it last accessed?

✋ Right to Control

• Consent before sharing: “Doctor X ට share කරන්නද?”
• Opt-out options: Marketing purposes deny කරන්න
• Data portability: Records transfer කරගන්න
• Deletion requests: Unnecessary data remove කරන්න

🛠️ Right to Correction

• Incorrect information update කරන්න
• Medical record errors fix කරන්න
• Dispute resolution mechanisms

What Should Proper Consent Look Like? 🤝

❌ Bad Example:

“By using our app, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.”

✅ Good Example:

“We need your ECG data to: ✓ Monitor your heart condition ✓ Send alerts to Dr. Silva ✓ Generate monthly reports

We will NOT use it for: ✗ Insurance risk assessment ✗ Employment screening ✗ Marketing to third parties

Duration: 2 years only Withdraw anytime: Yes”

Consent Checklist 📋

Before sharing your health data, ensure:

• Clear purpose explained Sinhala/Tamil වල
• Specific permissions (not blanket approval)
• Time limits specified
• Easy withdrawal process
• Security measures described
• Third-party sharing explicitly mentioned

🔒 How to Protect YOUR Health Data

For Patients 👥

💻 Digital Hygiene:

✅ Strong passwords: Use different passwords medical apps සඳහා
✅ Two-factor authentication: Enable whenever available
✅ App permissions: Review what data apps access කරනවාද
✅ Public WiFi: Never access health records unsecured networks වල

📱 Smart Sharing:

✅ Need-to-know basis: Medical data share කරන්නේ essential personnel ට විතරක්
✅ Screenshot caution: Prescription photos secure storage
✅ Social media: Health updates publicly post කරන එක avoid
✅ Family access: Clear boundaries set කරන්න

Questions to Ask Healthcare Providers 🏥

Before digitizing your health records:

1. “Data store කරන්නේ කොහේද?” (Cloud? Local servers?)
2. “Who has access?” (Staff levels, third parties?)
3. “Encryption use කරනවාද?” (Data protection technical measures)
4. “Breach වුනොත් notify කරනවාද?” (Incident response plans)
5. “Data deletion කොහොමද?” (Retention policies)

🚨 Red Flags to Watch Out For

🔴 Suspicious Requests:

• Medical data විතරට insurance discounts
• Employment applications medical history අහනවා
• Dating apps health status request කරනවා
• Marketing calls medical conditions ගැන reference කරනවා

🔴 Insecure Practices:

• Passwords share කරන්න කියනවා
• Email වලින් sensitive reports send කරනවා
• Public computers medical portals access කරන්න
• Screenshots medical records social groups share කරන්න

🌟 The Balance: Privacy vs Care Quality

Remember: Overly restrictive != Better care
Smart approach: Informed consent + Selective sharing

Example Smart Strategy:

Emergency contact: Full access ✅

Primary doctor: Current conditions only ✅

Specialist: Relevant history only ✅

Insurance: Claim-specific data only ✅

Employer health program: Aggregate/anonymous data only ✅

🔚 Bottom Line

Health data privacy balance කරන්න ඕනේ: Security 🔒 + Accessibility 📱 + Quality Care 🏥

Your data = Your control. Technology should empower you, not exploit you! 💪

Remember: “Privacy is not about hiding something wrong – it’s about protecting something precious!” 💎

Next Week: “Future of Healthcare in Sri Lanka – AI, IoT, සහ Digital Transformation Roadmap!” 🚀

Stay Safe, Stay Informed!
🌐 www.healthsync.lk