Summary: Inova became the first health system to achieve The Joint Commission’s Responsible Use of Health Data (RUHD) Certification, validating its ethical practices for secondary data use. The certification ensures strong stewardship, transparency, and privacy protections.

Key Takeaways:

  • Pioneering Ethical Data Use: Inova’s RUHD Certification reflects its robust governance, privacy safeguards, and commitment to responsible secondary data practices.
  • Advocacy for Patient Trust: Hosting discussions with policymakers underscores the importance of protecting patient data while advancing innovation in healthcare.

Fairfax, Va.-based Inova has become the first company to achieve The Joint Commission’s Responsible Use of Health Data (RUHD) Certification—a new recognition for the responsible use of secondary data or data used for purposes beyond clinical care.

Framework for Ethical Secondary Data Use

Developed using a framework established by the Health Evolution Forum’s convening group, RUHD is a voluntary certification, available to hospitals and health systems. The certification process provides guidance and guardrails to assist and help protect healthcare organizations navigating the complexities and risks of the secondary use of patient data.

RUHD Certification provides a framework for organizations to use and transfer patient data in ways that protect patient privacy, promote transparency, and safeguard against misuse. It validates that robust policies and procedures are in place to help protect, govern, and accountably use secondary data necessary for learning, safety, quality, and operations improvement.

RELATED: Joint Commission Program Aims to Safeguard Health Data Usage

Inova’s Demonstration of Stewardship

To achieve RUHD Certification, Inova demonstrated strong stewardship capabilities over health data, including:

  • De-identification of health data
  • Access and security controls
  • Defining and authorizing permitted use of data
  • Validating the safety, effectiveness, privacy, and fairness of algorithms
  • Providing transparency in data uses for patients
  • Establishing robust governance structures to oversee compliance with regulations

“Certification strengthens trust with our patients who can be confident that Inova has appropriate safeguards on the responsible use of health data, while providing data-driven insights to doctors and nurses so we can continue to provide world-class care to the communities we serve,” said Matt Kull, chief information and digital strategy officer for Inova.

Recognition and Advocacy for Patient Privacy

In recognition of this achievement, the two organizations hosted a discussion on Dec. 2 at the Inova Center for Personalized Health with thought leaders and policymakers, including Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), on the critical importance of protecting patient data privacy in today’s healthcare landscape.

“We are honored to be the first health system in the nation to achieve The Joint Commission’s Responsible Use of Health Data Certification,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, president and CEO of Inova. “As healthcare evolves, protecting patient privacy and using patient data responsibly is essential to improving care, driving innovation, and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve. This certification affirms our commitment to setting the standard for ethical data practices in healthcare.”