Valid and verified data is essential for every industry, let alone healthcare. The consequences of using invalid data are limited to lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage in sectors like retail, ecommerce, finance, etc. However, the impact of using invalid and unverified data in healthcare is much worse.

Inaccurate data directly impacts a patient’s life. Whether data is used in diagnosis, treatment plans, or for record keeping, the cost of error is significant. In critical situations, this means the difference between life and death. Thus, isn’t it quite obvious that data validation and verification are important, given the sensitive nature of healthcare data?

Think of the scenario where a patient is allergic to penicillin. Now, imagine if this information somehow doesn’t get recorded in the EHR. Relying on this unverified data, the doctor prescribes penicillin for the treatment. Can you think of what can happen because of this? A life-threatening situation may arise for the patient. But if the data is validated and verified, such a situation can be easily avoided!

Understanding Data Verification

The data verification process ensures the accuracy, consistency, and completeness of the information. And as healthcare institutions shift to digital records and data-driven care models, verifying data becomes even more important. Take a look at the three main components of data validation:

• Data Accuracy

Data entries are matched against the original information collected from diverse sources to ensure accuracy. Wondering how to do so? For this, you need to adopt a patient-centric approach, such as implementing portals that allow patients to update their information or report errors in their records. You can also implement automated systems to ensure that the recorded data matches the original data collected during the clinical trial. Think of the second option as a smart move to get accurate data at your disposal!

• Data Completeness

A “completeness” check ensures that all the necessary health data points such as patient’s age, drug allergies, prolonged diseases, etc., are collected and recorded properly. But what if there’s a missing entry in the record? The study results may be compromised, which can prove fatal for patients. This is certainly not good for the healthcare industry!

• Data Consistency

A sanity (here consistency) check ensures that data remains uniform and reliable across different time points and datasets. In simple words, this step ensures that data fields are aligned logically and do not contradict each other. A prime example is ensuring that patient information, like medication history, remains accurate and uniform across EHRs and other systems.

Read Also: Data Validation Services: Your Partner in Achieving Data Integrity

Data Verification in Healthcare: A Non-Negotiable Aspect

Needless to say, the data verification process ensures secure, efficient, and ethical operations of modern healthcare. Moreover, stakeholders make decisions and actions that are underpinned by factual, complete, and updated information. The benefits of data verification in healthcare aren’t limited to this. There’s much more:

• Enhancing Patient Safety

Isn’t it obvious by now that data verification and validation directly contribute to enhancing patient safety? If a patient’s medication history is incorrect, it may lead to severe health consequences. Such risks can be easily minimized by identifying inconsistencies and ensuring that each entry is accurate and reliable via the verification process. Consequently, healthcare providers deliver better care, knowing they are working with accurate information.

• Ensuring Compliance with Regulations

Standards like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the US and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in the European Union govern the healthcare industry. These regulations mandate strict controls over data accuracy and privacy. Failing to abide by these compliances leads to hefty fines, legal consequences, and reputational damage. What’s even worse, non-compliance also leads to loss of patient trust. That’s where the expertise of a seasoned data verification company comes to the rescue!

Well aware of the compliance requirements, they assist healthcare providers avoid penalties and uphold their commitment to ensuring data privacy and security. Isn’t this a smarter way to get thoroughly verified data at your disposal without compromising compliance standards?

• Accelerating Clinical Research

What do you think lays the foundation of clinical research and population health management? Accurate and reliable data. Remember, it is important to ensure that researchers and public health officials work with accurate, high-quality data. Otherwise, they may draw poorly informed conclusions and predictions, which can have adverse outcomes. That’s why data verification is important here.

Moreover, validated data provides a rock-solid foundation for medical research. Thus, scientists and policymakers can accurately assess trends, evaluate interventions, and address health concerns with greater accuracy.

• Improving Operational Efficiency

Healthcare professionals are often overburdened with administrative tasks. Other than delivering patient care services, they also have to manage large volumes of data efficiently. And during peak times, errors such as inaccuracies or incomplete entries are bound to happen. Thanks to data validation services, such ancillary tasks can be offloaded to professionals.

But what difference would it make? The difference is quite visible in the form of operational efficiency. While the dedicated experts ensure that each data point collected is complete, accurate, and reliable, the healthcare professionals better focus on what’s important— patient care! In short, they need not spend time on non-core tasks of maintaining and managing patient records but look after patients dedicatedly.

• Expediting Insurance Claim Settlement

Have you thought of what delays the health insurance claims settlement process? One of the root causes is submission of inaccurate and incomplete information. But with effective data validation, the claim settlement process can be sped up. How? By checking and ensuring that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent. Data validation checks and prevents errors like incorrect patient information or mismatched billing codes during claims processing.

Verifying that data aligns with insurance policies and compliance requirements right from the start minimizes the need for manual corrections and additional document requests on the insurers behalf. This expedited and effortless settlement goes a long way in enhancing customer satisfaction.

Closing Lines

Data validation and verification are more important than ever as the healthcare sector becomes data-centric. Moreover, decisions based on invalid or unverified data are never a safe bet for businesses operating in any industry. And in the healthcare sector, poor quality data may be life-altering as decisions directly impact the patient’s life.

Thus, a safe and sound move is to establish data verification and validation processes. For businesses with limited resources, investing in professional verification and validation services is the ideal way out.