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Lex Persona intends to integrate electronic signature into standard medical practice.
Why should hospitals, doctors and laboratories remain on the sidelines of this technology?
At a time when they are all being asked to digitize in order to provide real-time patient information, facilitate access to care and simplify their internal management.
The healthcare sector is one of the most regulated and demanding in terms of security. Which makes sense, after all, since the data processed is confidential and covered by medical secrecy. A genuine obligation of professional discretion, medical confidentiality represents a fundamental right for patients. It is one of the pillars of medical practice.
"There can be no care without confidentiality, no confidentiality without trust, no trust without secrecy ", as Bernard Hoerni, Professor of Oncology at the University of Bordeaux II, points out in his book " Ethique et déontologie médicale ".
A digital transformation exposed to threats
The healthcare sector is also changing, with the arrival of Mon Espace Santé. But also with the reform of the GHT (Groupement hospitalier de territoire). This requires establishments to digitize and find a new way of operating.
The pandemic has accelerated this digitalization, raised awareness of needs and highlighted the sector's vulnerabilities. The sector is one of the most targeted by cybercriminals. The point of entry is often the user.
Numerous hospitals have been hit and paralyzed by cyberattacks. These include AP-HP in 2020, Dax, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Villefranche-sur-Saône, Saint-Gaudens and Arles in 2021, GHT Cœur Grand-Est, CHU Corbeil-Essonnes, Centre Hospitalier de Versailles, CHU Nice in 2022, and most recently CHU Brest, which was still operating in degraded mode several days after the attack.
Numerous use cases to address
Although the world of healthcare is tending towards digitalization, for the time being, it still relies heavily on paper documents. In the absence ofelectronic signature toolmany natively digital documents are printed out for manual signature. They are then digitized and reintegrated into business software packages.
These include medical reports, liaison sheets, test results, administrative documents, registration forms, notification forms and patient consent forms. There are many possible uses for an electronic signature management system.
The case of patient consent
The patient consent form is a real issue for hospitals. It is generally a PDF document to be downloaded and printed. It must be completed and signed by the patient on the day of admission, and returned to the ward nurse.
The process would undoubtedly be simpler and more efficient if it were fully digitized. This implies the use of an electronic signature solution and the implementation of a validation circuit. All the more so as a copy of the consent must be kept in the patient's medical file, which is moving towards complete dematerialization. The French Public Health Code sets the retention period for medical records for healthcare establishments at 20 years (unless the patient is deceased).
HDS certification to protect sensitive data
Except that there is considerable mistrust of Cloud and SaaS solutions among healthcare players. The main stumbling block is the security of personal health data.
However, HDS(Healthcare Data Hosting) certification provides a structuring response to this problem. It aims to reinforce the protection of personal health data. And to build an environment of trust around eHealth and patient monitoring.
HDS certification is based on standards that include compliance with ISO norms( notablyISO 27001 and ISO 20000 ). It culminates in a certification issued by an accredited independent body to any structure or organization hosting healthcare data.
Security conditions adapted to the criticality of data
And all public or private organizations that host, operate or back-up healthcare information systems on behalf of healthcare establishments or third parties must be HDS-certified. Lex Persona, already ISO 27001 certified, obtained HDS certification at the beginning of the year.
We anticipate strong growth in electronic signatures in the healthcare sector," says François Devoret, founder and CEO of the French company.
The healthcare sector is still in the early stages of electronic signatures, as is the education sector, which is also seeking security and sovereignty. This certification is therefore a major investment for us. Especially as we are covered for all 6 certification activities.
This means that our entire electronic signature platform, both thehardware infrastructure and the software solution, meets the criteria for HDS certification.
Simplified identification and collaboration
In addition to electronic signatures, Lex Persona offers healthcare establishments a collaborative signature work book. This offers the possibility of opening a discussion thread alongside the document to be signed. This can be used to integrate questions, comments, suggestions and so on.
These exchanges are possible between professionals or between the medical profession and the patient. Under no circumstances can the document be modified.
What's more, Lex Persona technology is compatible with the various professional smart cards (CPS - Carte de Professionnel de Santé -, CPE - Carte de Personnel en Etablissement-, etc.) used in this sector.
"As these are assimilated to a digital identity, they can be used by professionals to identify themselves easily and securely on our electronic signature platform ," adds François Devoret.
A step towards greater digital sobriety
The use of electronic signatures also enables healthcare establishments to adopt a more virtuous approach in terms of digital sobriety. Today, too many paper documents are digitized and transformed into bulky PDF files that clog up messaging systems and servers.
Then there are all the documents sent by e-mail as attachments, which have to be printed, signed, scanned and e-mailed again. This type of exchange is cumbersome to manage in the back office, consumes a lot of bandwidth and is a real ecological waste.
With the electronic signature, everything is lighter: no need to print or scan, and thecarbon footprint is reduced.
Finally, Lex Persona is now referenced by UGAP, the central purchasing body for local authorities. But also CAIH, its equivalent for the hospital sector.
