3 key points that make GDPR a business asset in healthcare

📕 GDPR healthcare compliance is now an essential element in the healthcare field, offering a significant competitive advantage to compliant companies over non-compliant ones.

The GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, is a European regulation requiring companies to protect the personal data they process.

Although perceived by some healthcare companies as a regulatory constraint, GDPR can also be seen as a major business advantage.

On the one hand, non-compliance exposes companies to legal and financial risks, in the form offines and sanctions. Take the example of a recent sanction handed down by the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) on May 11, 2023. A well-known website specialised in health and wellness information was fined a total of 380,000 euros following breaches of the GDPR.

On the other hand, GDPR companies can work with partners to process personal data, which is a competitive advantage, enabling them to win tenders, easily pass clients audits and collaborate more serenely in medical research, among other things.

Discover the three key points that make GDPR a competitive advantage for healthcare players.

🎯 Tenders: an advantage for responding and attracting clients

🥇 GDPR compliance is now an essential criterion for responding to tenders in the healthcare sector. Many tenders incorporate GDPR compliance criteria, with specific questions and the need to provide documents justifying compliance, such as data processing agreements (DPAs ) forGDPR processors .

Companies demonstrating compliance have a significant advantage when bidding, using GDPR compliance as a differentiating argument to win contracts and outperform their non-compliant competitors.

The involvement of a DPO (Data Protection Officer) is crucial. He or she will be able to negotiate more favorable contractual terms, particularly in the exchange of personal data, thereby strengthening the company's position and avoiding potentially risky liabilities.🏆

"We're delighted to announce that we've been awarded theGDPR compliant label! We're proud of this achievement, which demonstrates our commitment to protecting our clients ' data and upholding the highest standards."

Sophie Chalvignac
Human Resources Director | Smile Up Now

📄 C clients auditing: a common practice in the healthcare sector

As part of their own GDPR compliance, clients of healthcare companies are conducting audits of their processors. As a reminder, an audit is a methodical, independent assessment process designed to verify a company's compliance with established standards, regulations and policies.

Compliant companies are more likely to win new contracts , as they can more easily demonstrate their compliance with confidentiality standards.

clients audits consist of a detailed questionnaire on personal data processing practices, with the need to provide documents such as the DPA, the processing register as processor, and the information systems charter.

In this checklist, you'll find all the prerequisites for proving compliance in the event of a GDPR audit or a call for tenders.

Compliance boosts clients confidenceand makes it easier to win new contracts. Companies handling personal data, such as SaaS healthcare service providers or medical device manufacturers, are often subject to such audits.

🚀 Medical research: a prerequisite for collaboration

📃 In medical research, GDPR compliance is a prerequisite for collaboration and data exchange. Non-compliant companies risk missing out on research opportunities, as the GDPR creates a clear framework for the management of sensitive personal data.

Medical research involving the processing of health data is strictly regulated by the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) ). Authorization from the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) is required to carry out medical research, with specific reference methodologies (MR-001, MR-003, MR-004) for various aspects of the research, such as the duration of data Data retention and information to be given to the persons concerned.

In March 2023, following a report, the CNIL (National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties) audited two healthcare organizations carrying out medical research. They were found to be in breach of data protection regulations. These two organizations had not carried out any impact analysis of the medical research they were carrying out (AIPD), and the information provided by both organizations to research participants was incomplete (the nature of the information collected and the duration of Data retention were not specified).

Discover concrete examples of business impact in the healthcare sector:

🎯 Magia Diagnostic: medical research achieved through GDPR compliance.

Magia Diagnostic has successfully launched a patient study thanks to its GDPR compliance, enabling it to collaborate with Hôpital Henri Mondor. This innovative infectious disease diagnostics company was able to establish a research protocol in line with Accountability clauses on the exchange of personal data, contributing to its success.

🏆 LivMed's: a partnership achieved through perfect compliance

😎 LivMed's, a 24/7 medication delivery service, has successfully secured partnerships with insurance companies thanks to its GDPR compliance. Working with Dipeeo on the privacy by design of their app strengthened their compliance, paving the way for partnerships with major insurance organizations such as Mondial Assistance and Harmonie Mutuelle. ✨

✨ Conclusion ✨

In conclusion, GDPR can be seen as a key business asset for healthcare players, strengthening their position in tenders, facilitating negotiations, simplifying clients audits, and fostering collaboration in medical research.

To illustrate the 3 key points we've just detailed, discover the practical guide to GDPR in healthcare, which offers a comprehensive overview of the specific issues and important actions to take.