Data collection and analysis have always been an important aspect of healthcare. However, it we talk about only a few decades ago, hospital records from that time weren’t too elaborate. 

Keeping track of patients on paper was doable when a doctor’s main tools were stethoscopes, thermometers, X-ray machines, and some basic blood tests because medtech wasn’t as advanced as it is today.

Fast forward to today, every other patient has tons of diagnostic tests and medical imaging records that are hard to take care of manually. Besides, the general global shift towards automation requires healthcare facilities to adopt online data collection methods. 

In this article, I’ll explain why you should use online forms for healthcare data collection and the different types of HIPPA-compliant forms you can use. 

Importance of data collection in healthcare

Traditionally, hospitals and clinics would hand out paper-based questionnaires for healthcare data collection. We now have a long list of robust tech that not only collects relevant data but also makes sense of it, visualizes it, and suggests strategies to amend operations based on it. 

Today, healthcare data is mainly collected via HIPAA-compliant online forms and stored in electronic health records and healthcare-dedicated CRMs. 

Data collection in healthcare fuels medical research. Access to real-world data speeds up studies on disease trends and treatment outcomes. 

Collecting patient satisfaction data helps clinicians fine-tune their care models. For example, if a provider notices that patients with limited English skills tend to be less satisfied, they can implement language support to directly improve patient care.

Data collection also empowers patients as they gain a clearer picture of their health over time. When patients understand their own health data, they’re more likely to engage actively in their care and make informed decisions. 

Besides, healthcare data collection supports public health surveillance. For example, if cumulative records of multiple facilities in an area report an increase in spread of a communicable disease, it may be a sign of an epidemic and proactive measures to contain the disease can be taken. In reality, we all saw how the World Health Organization (WHO) actively reported COVID-19 pandemic data and regional healthcare authorities used it for the first response.

Top online medical forms for healthcare data collection

Online forms are one of the best voluntary data collection methods in healthcare. They are now very widely used for research purposes and in clinic-based settings. 

Here are the top 7 types of medical online forms that collect different types of data and why you should implement them in your facility. 

1. Patient registration form

A patient registration form is one of the first forms patients will fill out when they enter a healthcare setting. 

It gathers essential demographic information such as the:

• Patient’s name
• Contact details
• Date of birth
• Emergency contacts
• Insurance information
• Relevant medical documents (i.e., DNR order, advance directive). 

Patient registration forms provide the foundational details you need to deliver personalized care. You can more accurately match patients with the right specialists and track patient visits based on the registration info. 

Insurance info is also captured at the time of patient registration for a smooth billing and claims process. 

2. Medical history form

Medical care is never just based on visible symptoms. 

A thorough medical history explores the patient’s past and current medical conditions, allergies, medications, surgeries, and family health history after listening to their chief complaints. That is also what a medical history form is used for. 

The primary purpose of a medical history form is to help healthcare providers diagnose and treat patients effectively.

In many cases, patients see multiple healthcare providers for different purposes. A thorough medical history form ensures that all providers have access to the same information. It promotes continuity of care and reduces the risk of miscommunication between different doctors. 

3. Informed consent form

Before you perform any medical procedure, be it invasive or non-invasive, you need the patient’s consent. 

An informed consent form is used to outline the details of the proposed medical intervention, including its purpose, risks, benefits, and alternatives. 

It's a fundamental ethical principle to respect your patient's autonomy. The consent form respects a patient's right to make decisions about their own healthcare and empowers them to choose based on a clear understanding of what to expect from a procedure or treatment.

A consent form is a legal document. It demonstrates that the patient was informed about the procedure and voluntarily agreed to it. This record is invaluable in case any disputes arise later. 

4. Online appointment scheduling form

An online appointment scheduling form is used by your patients to book appointments without needing to call your office. It reduces phone traffic on your end and creates a more organized patient appointment workflow. 

Appointment scheduling forms ask for the patient's name, contact information, preferred date and time, and reason for the visit. It gives you a snapshot of the patient's needs to plan and prioritize appointments based on urgency or type of care.

Knowing why a patient wants to see you is incredibly helpful. If a patient is coming in for a specific treatment or follow-up, you can review their file or test results ahead of time. 

5. Hospital discharge form

Hospital discharge forms summarize a patient's hospital stay. They outline the patient's diagnosis, treatment plan, medications, and follow-up care instructions.

The information in a discharge form serves as a primary means of communication between the hospital and the next level of care, such as:

• Rehabilitation facility
• Home care
• Hospice care
• Or another healthcare provider.

6. Patient feedback survey

This type of healthcare data collection form gathers feedback from patients about their experiences with your healthcare services. 

It gives your patients a voice where they explain how they felt while in your facility, any challenges they faced, and what they appreciated during their visit. 

Patient feedback is the direct measure of your team’s professionalism, the clarity of communication, wait times, and the overall comfort of the facility. 

If several patients mention similar concerns, you must address them to improve the patient experience.

7. Medical release form

A medical release form authorizes healthcare providers to share a patient's medical information with other healthcare providers or organizations. 

It is needed to facilitate communication and continuity of care. For instance, if a patient is being referred to a specialist or transitioning to another facility, the release form enables you to send over the patient’s medical history, lab results, imaging, and any relevant treatment notes. 

However, strict data security measures need to be implemented for medical release forms. Clinicians should maintain patient privacy while sharing only necessary data. 

Make sure your online medical forms are HIPAA compliant

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a US law that protects sensitive patient health information (PHI).

There are three key rules for HIPAA compliance: 

• The privacy rule protects patients' private health information. You must ensure that any PHI you collect through online medical forms is kept confidential and only shared with authorized individuals for legitimate purposes.

• The security rule is particularly aimed at safeguarding electronic PHI (ePHI). You need to implement security measures to protect patient data from unauthorized access, loss, or theft. It requires using secure servers, strong passwords, and encryption where possible.

• The breach notification rule states that if a data breach occurs, you are required to notify affected patients and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promptly. 

To maintain HIPAA compliance, you must implement administrative practices that ensure safe data collection and handling. Such practices can be broken down into physical safeguards that protect the devices containing patient data and technical safeguards that ensure online data access remains safe. 

Below is a HIPAA compliance checklist for both physical and technical aspects of healthcare data collection. 

Physical safeguards

The physical safeguards are measures that you put in place to ensure the physical security of the locations and equipment where you store and access patient data. Such measures include: 

1. Ensure computers and devices used for online forms are in secure locations and not easily accessible to unauthorized individuals.

2. Keep any devices storing patient data, like USB drives or laptops, in locked areas.

3. Shred physical documents containing patient data and use data-wiping software on electronic devices before disposal.

4. Maintain a secure environment with surveillance.

5. Monitor visitors in areas where patient data is handled. Use visitor logs and ensure they are escorted as needed.

6. Regularly train your team on securing patient information and following protocols related to online healthcare data collection.

Technical safeguards

These are the policies and technologies that healthcare organizations must implement to secure ePH. 

Here are the specific technical safeguards required for HIPAA compliance in healthcare data collection. 

1. Encrypt ePHI both in transit (when sending data) and at rest (when storing data).

2. Secure data transmission using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS).

3. Implement role-based access control to limit access of patient data to authorized personnel only. 

4. Use secure login mechanisms, such as two-factor authentication, to verify user identities.

5. Implement data verification methods, such as checksum, to ensure that the data collection in healthcare is accurate and hasn’t been altered or tampered with. 

6. Keep all software and systems updated to protect against security vulnerabilities.

7. Regularly back up electronic patient data and have a disaster recovery plan in place to recover information if needed.

Create HIPAA compliant online forms with Formaloo

With Formaloo, you can create forms for healthcare data collection while ensuring secure data storage that aligns with HIPAA standards. Our access control system allows you to customize permissions based on roles. Different team members, like doctors and administrative staff, can have specific access levels. 

Formaloo also features database encryption and Single Sign-On (SSO) for secure user access. Regular data backups protect your medical records against loss from failures or cyberattacks. 

Formaloo’s priority to help you maintain HIPAA compliance extends to both the cloud-based and on-premise versions. 

Sign up for Formaloo today. 

FAQs

How do you collect data for medical research?

The easiest way to collect data for medical research is through an online medical data collection form. However, some types of medical research require in-person interviews or observation of patients in natural settings to collect their data. 

Why is HIPAA Compliance necessary for online healthcare forms?

HIPAA compliance is necessary to protect the privacy and security of patient’s data collected through online healthcare forms. A HIPPA compliant online form prevents data breaches and unauthorized access to patients’ sensitive medical information.