SYNLAB Nigeria Develops Secured Patient Portal As Safe Alternative for Test Result Delivery

SYNLAB Nigeria, a member of the SYNLAB Group, with ISO15189 Certification in medical diagnostic services, has studied dangers of emailing test results of patients  and has developed a secured patient portal as safer alternative for delivering test results to its patients.

SYNLAB, a global diagnostic service provider with presence in 35 countries and over 30 active locations across Nigeria, said its secured patient portal has numerous advantages such as, restricted access through which the portal offers a more controlled environment for accessing test results. 

According to the firm, with individualised  login credentials, the risk of unauthorised  access is significantly reduced, adding that SYNLAB patient portal ensures that only the intended recipient, the patient, can view his  confidential health information.

The firm explained that it also has enhanced encryption. Unlike standard email communication, SYNLAB Nigeria said its patient portal employs robust encryption measures. 

This added layer of security, it said, safeguards the transmission and storage of test results, protecting them from interception by malicious entities.

It said the SYNLAB patient portal has a user-friendly interface of easily accessible and intuitive advantage as patients could easily register on the firm’s website.

“They can also contact our customer support on ng.enquiry@synlab.com , WhatsApp 08104607653 or walk into any of our 32 physical locations across the country to register”.

According to the firm, using the patients’ portal has become necessary because while the convenience of email is unquestionable, the risks associated with transmitting sensitive health information, such as test results, cannot be ignored. 

“In an era where individuals access their email on various devices, the potential for unintended exposure is a critical concern. By embracing the secured patient portal, patients can avoid these risks, ensuring that they access their test results in a secure and confidential manner. Beyond safeguarding sensitive information SYNLAB also seeks to foster a culture of privacy and security in healthcare interactions through the adoption of the patient portal,” it said.

Highlighting the dangers of emailing patients’ test results SYNLAB said the following risks apply — unintentional access.

It said with shared devices or easily accessible email accounts, there was a heightened risk of unintended parties stumbling upon confidential test results. 

This unintentional access, according to the diagnostic expert, compromises patients’ privacy and raises ethical and legal concerns. 

It highlighted a case  scenario saying: “Sarah, wrestling with the news of an unplanned pregnancy, had decided to confide in her mother when the time was right. However, the delicate balance of trust was disrupted when the mother, Anne, curious about an email notification on the shared family computer, opened a document containing Sarah’s test result.

“The consequences of this unintended intrusion were felt immediately. Instead of the empathetic and supportive conversation that Sarah had hoped for, Anne’s discovery led to a confrontational exchange fuelled by emotions of betrayal and disappointment.”

SYNLAB said this situation draws attention to the inherent risks associated with delivering sensitive test results via email. 

“In an age where digital communication is commonplace, the convenience of email often comes at the cost of privacy, as demonstrated in the story of Anne and Sarah.

The email, a seemingly innocent means of communication, became a channel for unintended consequences. It allowed Anne access to information that Sarah had not yet shared, and the resulting breach of trust altered the trajectory of their relationship.

According to the diagnostic expert, Anne’s inadvertent access to Sarah’s test results highlights the potential for unintended recipients to view confidential information. 

It added that in the healthcare space, where privacy is paramount, this poses a significant risk to patient confidentiality.

Against this backdrop, SYNLAB Nigeria highlighted other dangers of emailing patients’ diagnostic results, as lack of encryption, saying emails, even those containing sensitive health information, were often transmitted without end-to-end encryption. 

It said this lack of encryption exposes the data to potential interception, especially when accessed on public networks, adding that it further jeopardises the confidentiality of the test results.

Expatiating on limited control, it said when an email is delivered, control over who can access the information diminishes using the case point of Anne and Sarah, adding that lack of control over who could view the results led to a breach of Sarah’s privacy and a breakdown in trust.

On indiscriminate sharing, SYNLAB noted that once someone accesses a digital document, the person could easily share it in one click to anyone else. 

“The document alone can be transferred to other platforms and shared or the whole mail can easily be shared. Imagine that Anne, shared Sarah’s result to her father and siblings immediately she saw it.”

The firm is the leader in medical diagnostic services and specialty testing in Europe and offers a full range of innovative and reliable medical diagnostics to patients, practising doctors, hospitals and clinics, governments and corporates.

Providing the leading level of service within the industry, SYNLAB is a partner of choice for routine and specialty diagnostics in human and veterinary medicine. 

The Group continuously innovates medical diagnostic services for the benefit of patients and customers.