WhatsApp and other messaging apps in medicine: opportunities and risks

Abstract

WhatsApp is a popular messaging application frequently used by physicians and healthcare organizations that can improve the continuity of care and facilitate effective health services provision, especially in acute settings. However WhatsApp does not comply with the rules of the European GDPR and the US HIPA Act. So it is inappropriate to share clinical information via WhatsApp. For this reason alternatives to Whatsapp are considered. In particular, the features that must have secure messaging apps to be in compliance with GDPR and HIPAA and to protect patient data will be discussed. The aim is to encourage healthcare organizations and physicians to abandon WhatsApp and to adopt one of the many secure messaging apps now available, some of them at no cost.