GDPR: Security And Protection For Healthcare Sector
                     
+353 1 4 111011                                                  



 
+353 1 4 111011                                                              gdprcourse.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GDPR: Security 

and Protection 

for Healthcare 

Sector 


 
+353 1 4 111011                                                              gdprcourse.com 

 

Data protection regulations define 

how an individual’s personal data 

can be used and processed by 

organizations, businesses and 

government sectors. These 

regulations also need to ensure 

healthcare data is not susceptible to 

attack, misuse or misappropriation.  

 

In the case of health care providers, they are processing special 

categories of personal information from patients where the structure of 

care provision, there is a number of challenges that need to be handled 

by healthcare sector as they collect and process most important 

information like, various links in the patients' data chain. 

 

The data concerning health will be subject to a higher standard of 

protection than personal data in general.  

 

● Data concerning health 

● Genetic data 

● Biometric data 

 

The processing of these three forms of health data is prohibited unless 

one of several conditions applies. 

 

Under new GDPR rules and regulations they only allow to process data 

in the health sector under this special category when it applies to some 

of the following circumstances: 

 

● When the processing is needed to protect the vital interests of the 

person concerned or another physical person in case the person 

concerned is not able to give their consent. 

● When the processing is needed for preventative medicine or work 

purposes, work capacity assessment of the worker, medical 

diagnosis, provision of health or social care or treatment, or  

 


 
+353 1 4 111011                                                              gdprcourse.com 

 

managing the health and social care systems and services under a 

contract with a health professional. 

● When the treatment is needed for reasons of public interest in the 

area of public health. 

 

Under the GDPR, there is a rule to appoint a data protection officer 

(DPO) in some circumstances. In the healthcare sector this will mostly 

be where, as a core activity, health data of the three kinds mentioned 

above is processed on a large scale. The GDPR also allows for EU 

Member States to require DPOs to be appointed in circumstances other 

than those set out under the GDPR. 

 

With the GDPR, the level of information that all users should receive 

from those responsible for processing their data increases. In this 

respect, the information provided should contain the following details as 

a minimum:  

 

● The contact details of the Data Protection Officer when they are 

appointed.  

● The legal base or legitimacy for processing.  

● The period or criteria for storing information.  

● The existence of automated decisions or profiling.  

● The expected transfers to third countries.  

● The right to file a complaint to the Control Authority.  

 

Organizations should be made ready themselves to ensure their 

compliance with the new regulations of the GDPR by taking steps to 

understand their existing position and to prevent your organisation from 

heavy penalties.