Digital signature for doctors: how and why to obtain it?

Digitally signing and managing documents has become an essential tool for those who want to bring security and agility to their document processes. In the world of health, digital signature for doctors, it has provided a significant revolution in the way in which these professionals authenticate and validate clinical information.

This technological advance is rooted in the need for security, authenticity and agility in the sharing of medical data, consolidating itself as a fundamental instrument in the digital age of medicine.

In this text, we will explore the importance and applications of digital signatures for doctors, highlighting their benefits, related legislation, and how this technology is transforming clinical practice and the exchange of information in the health sector.

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What is a digital signature for doctors?

We have entered an era in which it is possible to facilitate repetitive and bureaucratic operations, optimize processes that wear out staff, and significantly reduce the number of failures in the filing of important documents. Yes, we're talking about subscription and document management digital.

Note: the use of online document signatures is not only a viable solution for optimizing health services, but it also impacts the entire ecosystem of institutions, bringing advantages that go far beyond the reduction of paperwork.

After all, digital signature is a mode secured and legally valid to sign documents from anywhere, with all the convenience of the online world.

In the context of health, digital signatures for doctors make it more practical and secure to issue prescriptions, reports, and other medical records in digital format. In addition, this technology makes it possible to certify the identity of the doctor responsible for signing the document, in addition to ensuring the integrity of its content, that is, that it has not undergone changes after the end of the signature process.

What is a digital signature for?

The digital signature for doctors certifies the authorship of the registration and guarantees the integrity of the signed content. This optimizes security, agility, and interoperability in the digital environment of medical practice, providing benefits for both doctors and patients and the health system as a whole.

When migrating medical processes to digital, it is necessary to pay attention to the specificities of each document to follow the legal regulations of each of the types of contracts. This is because the digital signature has three different types: qualified, advanced, and simple.

A qualified digital signature is one that uses a ICP-Brazil Digital Certificate as a method of authenticating the person who signs: the signer.

The advanced one, on the other hand, is one that uses other means of verifying the authorship and integrity of electronic documents, such as the PIX and facial biometry, offering a high level of security and guaranteeing the identification of the signer in a unique manner.

Finally, the digital signature unsophisticated It is the one that offers the simplest form of authenticating the signer, using less refined forms, such as through an email, the device's IP, or even the location of the signer.

Clicksign, a pioneering and leading platform in the Brazilian electronic signature market, provides its users with the possibility of making any type of electronic signature required by law, in a convenient, secure and legally valid manner.

In practice, the digital signature for doctors can be used in:

• Service contracts;
• Medical records;
• Internal patient forms;
• Medical reports;
• Attestations;
• Prescriptions;
• And so much more.

It is up to the health professional to understand the applicable legislation and the level of authentication required for each type of document.

A Law No. 13,787 of 2018, which provides for the “digitization and use of computerized systems for the storage, and handling of patient records”, provides for the possibility of using an ICP-Brazil Digital Certificate in the process of digitizing medical patient records, with the objective of ensuring their integrity, authenticity and confidentiality.

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Already the Law No. 14,063 of 2020, which also provides for the use of electronic signatures in health matters, establishes minimum levels of electronic signatures in digital medical documents:

• Prescriptions for medications subject to special control and related medical certificates: qualified subscription.
• Other electronic recipes: qualified or advanced subscription.
• Other electronic documents signed by health professionals and related to their area of expertise: qualified or advanced signature.

It is worth noting that the minimum levels brought by this law do not apply to internal acts of the hospital environment.

Advantages of obtaining a digital signature for doctors

According to the World Health Organization, eHealth services are expanding around the world, including digital technologies and telecommunications such as computers, Internet, and mobile devices to facilitate the improvement of health and health services and optimize services without the use of paper files.

In this context, the digitization of the signature emerges, every day, as a crucial tool for the evolution and efficiency of health services. By adopting the digital signature, doctors benefit from a series of advantages that positively impact both the health professional and the patient.

The convenience and agility provided by the digital signature allow doctors to sign documents remotely, saving time and facilitating the coordination of care between geographically dispersed multidisciplinary teams.

In addition, the elimination of the use of paper contributes to the reduction of operating costs, environmental sustainability, and the efficient organization of clinical records, without the physical accumulation of documents.

Security is another fundamental pillar provided by digital signatures for doctors. The technology used assists in verifying the authenticity of the signature, making it difficult to falsify it and ensuring the integrity of the document's content. This is vital in preserving the confidentiality of patient information, an essential aspect in the world of health.

In addition, the digital signature is aligned with data security regulations and standards, ensuring compliance with privacy and data protection laws, such as the General Data Protection Law.

How to create a digital signature for doctors?

As we have seen, the use of digital signatures by doctors and other health professionals will depend on the type of document to be signed. In some cases it is mandatory to use an ICP-Brazil Digital Certificate to authenticate the signer. This electronic certificate acts as a digital identity, providing legal validity and security in digital signatures.

Thus, the beginning of the process for acquiring a digital certificate involves the selection of a certificate authority. These entities are companies authorized to issue and manage ICP-Brazil digital certificates. The list of certification authorities is available for consultation at National Institute of Information Technology (ITI) website.

Once the preferred certification authority is chosen and the request for the digital certificate most appropriate to the needs is carried out, the individual will undergo an authentication process.

After completing this authentication process, the user can use their digital certificate freely, using a password chosen by them, and with a validity that ranges from twelve to sixty months. At the end of the validity period, the user will need to go through the authentication process again.

How to obtain the digital certificate for doctors for free?

Among the registering certification authorities authorized by ITI/ICP-Brazil is the Federal Council of Medicine (AR-CFM), which can provide doctors duly registered with the Regional Medical Councils (CRM) the possibility of acquiring a ICP-Brazil digital certificate in the cloud free of charge.

“It is part of the set of initiatives of the digital transformation agenda established by our management [of the CFM], which seeks to provide doctors with modern and higher-quality services, fully aligned with the increasingly digital world,” commented the president of the CFM, Mauro Ribeiro, about the use of digital signatures for doctors with a digital certificate.

Start digitally signing with Clicksign

Ready to take the first step and embrace digital in your appointments? Embracing the digital world in your appointments is a fundamental step to modernize and optimize your work process as a health professional.

Clicksign offers the perfect solution for you to start digitally signing and enjoy all the benefits that this innovative technology can provide to your medical practice. With our solutions, it is possible to sign with any type of electronic signature required by law, including the qualified one, which uses an ICP-Brazil Digital Certificate as a method of authenticating the signer.

Learn about our solutions in digital signature and Test for free!