Mobile data security: instant messaging in orthopaedics

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Communication
• Digital Health Security
• Clinical Informatics

Background:

• Instant messaging via WhatsApp is prevalent in hospital teams, offering efficient, non-hierarchical communication.
• Despite end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp's ownership by Facebook raises data security concerns.
• Understanding clinician attitudes and data protection awareness is crucial for secure messaging practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of WhatsApp group messaging in clinical teams.
• To assess clinician attitudes toward instant messaging use.
• To gauge awareness of mobile data protection best practices.

Main Methods:

• Data collected over two weeks from an Orthopaedic department's WhatsApp groups.
• Analysis of message volume and content, including patient identifiable data.
• Anonymous surveys assessed WhatsApp usage and awareness of data security policies.

Main Results:

• 1,360 messages were sent, with 28% containing patient identifiable data; 36 photos were shared.
• WhatsApp use was rated extremely beneficial (9.1/10) by participants.
• 65% of clinicians were unaware of or had not read organizational policies on mobile device privacy.

Conclusions:

• WhatsApp is a widespread and preferred communication tool in the Orthopaedic department.
• Significant data security risks exist due to patient identifiable information shared.
• Implementing clear guidelines is essential to ensure patient data protection and promote best practices.