Using Qualtrics for PHI in a public setting

If you are using the 'public' survey URL to collect PHI in a Qualtrics survey, you should disable the Save and Continue function in 'Survey Options' page prior to publishing the URL.  This feature, if enabled, allows a second user to potentially resume a partially completed / abandoned survey initiated by a previous user on a shared computer or device (such as a kiosk or library computer).

If your survey displays summary information upon completion, allows the 'Back' button, or using piping this could lead to the potential exposure of the first user’s data to the second user.

If you have already deployed a survey with 'Save and Continue' enabled and later turn the feature off, any device which previously took the survey could maintain partially complete copies until the time period defined in 'Partial Completion' setting has elapsed (defaulting to 2 weeks).  The only way to positively prevent a partially completed and abandoned survey from being resumed by a subsequent user is to expire the survey and create a custom expiration message that directs participants to a new survey with the correct settings.

If you are deploying a Qualtrics survey in a kiosk setting, you must consult your IT department about how best to configure the computer’s browser and caching to maximize security and anonymity.