Dropbox

16 September 2010

Q. How useful is Dropbox in general practice?

A. Dropbox is a way of sharing files over the internet. You download free software on your computer, iPhone or iPad and the Dropbox application allows you to share files between different computers and mobile devices. It also allows you to share files with other users of Dropbox. It is most useful as a way of collaborating with colleagues on writing a document or sharing project documents.

Security-wise, it is good in that the connection between your computer and the Dropbox servers uses an encrypted layer called Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and your data is encrypted on the Dropbox servers. Dropbox should not be used for patient-identifiable information, such as sharing referral or discharge letters with hospital colleagues. This is because the information is held in the internet cloud and may be co-located on servers outside the European Union, in breach of data protection legislation.