AFRICA
REGIONAL CHANNELS
AFRICA
Digital signatures help stop the spread of infection during the global pandemic . Debbie Hayes , GlobalSign , explains how digital signatures are proving to be critical during this difficult period .
HOW DIGITAL
SIGNATURES
ARE HELPING SOUTH AFRICAN HOSPITALS DURING THE PANDEMIC
Six months into COVID-19 and
the world is still very much in adjustment mode . It has been a difficult year , to say the least .
South Africa has been innovative in its approach to managing the crisis , widely using digital signatures to help both doctors and patients minimise contact where possible . For example : y At the point of hospital admission , patients can sign their declarations and forms using their own mobile devices regardless of whether they have a smartphone or even data . Unstructured Supplementary Service Data ( USSD ) enables messages to be sent to patients ’ devices so that they never need to touch a pen , paper application form or come into contact with any member of staff . y Doctors can generate and sign prescriptions electronically , while remaining compliant with local legislation . This has enabled various telemedicine innovations , allowing consultations between patient and doctor to occur via video chat . The patient can then be issued an electronic prescription that will be accepted as legally binding by pharmacists to dispense their medicine . y
Hospital administration and head office staff are also using digital signatures to keep their hospitals running , signing critical orders while sheltering in self-isolation .
These very positive developments have been successfully implemented by South African-based Impression Signatures , an eSignature provider and Certified Regional Partner for Certificate Authority GlobalSign . Impression Signatures has been working with a number of large private hospital groups in South Africa to implement the solutions listed above , improving the safety of healthcare workers and enabling new technologies that will relieve the burden on the fragile healthcare system .
Why digital signatures ?
Digital signatures provide authenticity and integrity to digital messages such as email , documents and code distributed via the Internet . They are critical to business since they enable organisations to securely exchange data and improve electronic workflows .
A digital signature acts as a form of ‘ digital ID card ’ and can verify the identity of a signer and also ensure a document ’ s contents haven ’ t been tampered with . This type of signature is commonly used on documents which are legally binding or which contain sensitive information , such as the healthcare scenario discussed in this article but also especially in financial services , architecture and design / build , education , government and many other sectors . This Public Key Infrastructure ( PKI )- based technology ensures that documents are encrypted – making sure the contents have not been altered in transit .
Prior to COVID , digital signatures were already in a heavy growth mode , but the worldwide pandemic has spurred it further . So , it is highly likely digital signatures will continue to be a tool that many organisations rely on for the longterm , especially in a world where signing documents by hand (‘ wet signatures ’) is fading fast . From this point forward , expect digital signatures to be the norm rather than the exception .
Technologies like digital signatures are proving to be critical during this difficult period . That they are assisting healthcare workers and patients is extremely rewarding . •
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