95% of patients fear their data will be leaked

In today’s fast-paced healthcare industry, exchanging digital information has become essential for enhancing patient outcomes, simplifying procedures, and promoting medical progress. However, leaks of personal medical records have become a growing concern.

 

According to the data presented by the Atlas VPN team, 95% of patients are concerned about a potential data breach or leak of medical records. Furthermore, the majority of people do not trust Big Tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft offering products or services to store their health data.

 

Overall, 70% of patients have extreme or moderate concerns regarding their medical information being leaked. Of the people surveyed, 28% admitted to having extreme worries about a potential data breach of their medical records. Furthermore, 42% of respondents expressed moderate concerns.

 

The findings also showed that one in four patients (25%) held slight concerns about potential data breaches. Remarkably, a small 5% of respondents displayed a lack of concern regarding the possibility of their medical record data leak.

 

Medical data breaches can result in identity theft, financial fraud, reputational damage, and even endanger a patient’s physical well-being if sensitive medical conditions are disclosed.

 

Cybersecurity writer at Atlas VPN, Vilius Kardelis, shares his thoughts on how patient data should be handled: “Healthcare providers must actively advocate for patient rights and data autonomy. Patients should be empowered with the knowledge of their data’s value, ownership, and control. By offering stringent data protection measures, healthcare providers can create an environment where patients feel in command of their health information.”

 

 

Many people are skeptical about large technology companies offering services to store sensitive medical information.

 

A significant 38% of respondents expressed an outright lack of trust in Big Tech. Many people are hesitant to trust Big Tech with their health data. Similarly, 27% of people slightly distrust Big Tech’s ability to manage their health data securely.

 

Concerns come from the knowledge of past breaches, the potential for misuse or unauthorized access, and doubts about the profit motives of these companies.

 

On the other hand, 21% of those surveyed placed slight trust in Big Tech. Even more surprisingly, 14% of respondents showed confidence in Big Tech’s ability to manage their health data securely.