CHIME and WEDI Launch the “THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK” Campaign

As patients increasingly permit access to their health information by way of third-party applications (apps), the need to ensure the privacy and security of these data has exponentially grown. Many of these apps are not covered entities under HIPAA and are not bound by any current privacy and security requirements. In response, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) announce the launch of the “THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK” campaign.

The two organizations fully support a system where data flows seamlessly to improve access and achieve better health outcomes, but they recognize consumers need to understand how to mitigate their risk. This initiative, which includes a five-step checklist, is designed to educate and empower consumers to take the appropriate precautions prior to the transmission of health information to third-party apps. The checklist is nonbranded and is made available at no cost to any organization seeking to educate and protect their constituents.

“With new federal regulations allowing patients to direct providers and health plans to share their health information to a third-party app, there is concern that unintended disclosures of sensitive data could occur,” says Russell Branzell, president and CEO of CHIME. “Providing consumers with this simple-to-use checklist with recommended actions they can take before transmitting their data is a service we feel will help consumers protect themselves and their personal information.”

“We hope that critical consumer and patient organizations personalize this resource with their brand, widely disseminate it to their members and strongly encourage its use,” states Charles Stellar, WEDI president and CEO. “The “THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK” checklist will be made freely available on the CHIME and WEDI websites. We urge providers, health plans, and health care vendors to leverage their communication channels to distribute this collateral directly to consumers.”

Learn more about this initiative or download the customizable “THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK” PDF resource on the CHIME website at https://chimecentral.org/chime-and-wedi-create-think-before-you-click-campaign or on the WEDI website at www.wedi.org/2022/05/20/chime-wedi-create-think-before-you-click-campaign. 

Source: College of Healthcare Information Management Executives