Security Policy
Kano General Hospital’s Security Policy explains how we use, manage, and protect patient information and other medical data. We handle personal information appropriately when providing medical care, managing hospital operations, working with other healthcare providers, and using anonymously processed information.
Purposes of Use Necessary for the Provision of Medical Care
Under this Security Policy, Kano General Hospital uses patient information only when it is necessary for medical care, hospital administration, or related healthcare services.
Use Within Our Hospital
We use patient information for the following purposes:
- Providing medical care to patients and others, including medical screenings, health checkups, and comprehensive health examinations
- Managing medical insurance administration
Hospital operations related to patients include:
- Admission, discharge, and other ward operations
- Accounting and financial management
- Analysis and reporting for quality improvement, patient safety, medical accident response, and accident prevention
- Improvement of medical services provided to patients and others
Provision of Information to Other Organizations and Service Providers
Our Security Policy also allows us to provide necessary information to other organizations when this is required for appropriate medical care or hospital administration.
For medical care provided by our hospital, information may be used for:
- Coordination with other hospitals, clinics, maternity clinics, pharmacies, home-visit nursing stations, nursing care service providers, and other related organizations
- Responding to inquiries from other medical institutions and related organizations
- Seeking opinions or advice from external physicians and other professionals when necessary for diagnosis or treatment
- Outsourcing specimen testing and other services
- Explaining a patient’s medical condition to family members and others
Medical Insurance Administration
For medical insurance administration, information may be used for:
- Outsourcing insurance-related administrative work
- Submitting medical fee claims to examination and payment organizations, insurers, and other relevant organizations
- Responding to inquiries from examination and payment organizations, insurers, and other relevant organizations
In addition, when our hospital conducts health examinations on behalf of employers or other organizations, we may notify those organizations of the examination results.
We may also consult with or report information to professional medical organizations, insurance companies, or other relevant organizations in connection with medical malpractice liability insurance and similar matters.
Furthermore, we may report information to or consult with third-party organizations when necessary to improve quality, ensure patient safety, respond to medical accidents, or prevent such incidents.
Other Purposes of Use Under Our Security Policy
Use Within Our Hospital
In addition to direct medical care, Kano General Hospital may use information for hospital administration, education, research, and service improvement.
These purposes include:
- Preparing basic data and materials to maintain and improve medical care, nursing care services, and hospital operations
- Supporting practical training for students studying to become physicians, nurses, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technologists, radiological technologists, physical therapists, dietitians, medical administrative staff, and other healthcare professionals
- Providing education and training for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technologists, radiological technologists, physical therapists, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals
- Conducting case reviews, research, autopsies, clinicopathological conferences, and other reviews concerning causes of death
- Conducting research, clinical trials, and post-marketing clinical studies in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines
- Conducting surveys on treatment progress and prognosis, patient satisfaction surveys, and questionnaires intended to improve hospital operations
Presentations at Academic Conferences and Publications in Medical Journals
When our hospital presents cases or incidents involving specific patients, service users, or other individuals at academic conferences or research meetings, or publishes them in academic journals, we protect the individual’s identity.
For example, we remove information such as names, dates of birth, and addresses to anonymize the case. If adequate anonymization is difficult, we obtain consent from the individual concerned.
Provision of Information to Other Organizations
As part of hospital administration, we may provide information to external auditing organizations.
We may also coordinate with home-care service providers, care management offices, and other organizations that provide services to the individual concerned. This may include service coordination meetings and responses to inquiries.
Security Policy for Anonymously Processed Information
Creation and Provision of Anonymously Processed Information
Our Security Policy also covers the creation and provision of anonymously processed information.
Kano General Hospital uses information from electronic medical records, DPC data, medical fee claim data, and other sources to help improve the quality of medical care, support academic research, and contribute to public health.
Before providing this information to a third party, we apply appropriate processing so that the information cannot readily identify a specific individual. We then provide the resulting data as anonymously processed information.
Information Included in Anonymously Processed Data
The anonymously processed information created and provided by our hospital may include the following:
- Clinical information contained in hospital electronic medical records, including diagnoses, prescriptions, laboratory test results, and other medical information
- Clinical information contained in departmental systems associated with electronic medical records, such as pathological diagnosis information from pathology systems and ophthalmic examination information from ophthalmology systems
- DPC data, including hospitalization, diagnosis, and medication information
- Electronic medical fee claims, including medical and DPC claims
Processing Used to Protect Personal Information
To comply with this Security Policy, we process information that could potentially identify an individual before providing anonymously processed information to a third party.
The processing methods are as follows:
- We delete all or part of descriptions or other information that could identify a specific individual, such as names, or replace such information with arbitrary character strings that cannot be restored to the original information.
- We delete personal identification codes, such as the symbols and numbers on health insurance cards, or replace them with arbitrary character strings that cannot be restored to the original information.
- We replace codes used to link personal information with other information, such as electronic medical record IDs used within the hospital, with arbitrary character strings that cannot be restored to the original information.
- We delete specific descriptions concerning rare or distinctive facts, replace them with arbitrary character strings that cannot be restored to the original information, or generalize the information.
- We take other appropriate processing measures when necessary.
Methods for Providing Anonymously Processed Information
We protect data with encryption and passwords before transferring it electronically.
Alternatively, we may record encrypted data on storage media such as DVDs or Blu-ray Discs and send the media to the recipient.
Security Management of Anonymously Processed Information
Kano General Hospital promptly deletes anonymously processed information after providing it to a third party. We do not retain or use that anonymously processed information afterward.
These measures form part of our Security Policy for the safe handling of medical and patient information.
Contact for Inquiries About Anonymously Processed Information
If you have questions about this Security Policy, the creation of anonymously processed information, or the provision of such information to third parties, please contact Kano General Hospital at the number below.
Kano General Hospital: 06-6351-5381 (Main)