Ecosystem governance

Partnership Standards

A healthcare-first baseline for partners who integrate, deliver, or co-market with MDS - designed to protect patient trust and operational quality.

Partnership Standards are MDS' documented expectations for security, privacy, delivery quality, and claims discipline when working together. They are not certification, accreditation, or medical endorsement.

Governed onboarding. No PHI required at this stage.

What these standards cover

These standards exist to ensure partners can operate safely in healthcare, integrate cleanly into growth systems, and communicate responsibly.

Clinical safety boundaries

role clarity, no medical advice, and governed escalation pathways.

Security + privacy

least-privilege access, auditability, and DPA readiness where applicable.

Interoperability

stable APIs, documented integrations, and change control.

Delivery quality

SLAs (as scoped), QA processes, support pathways, and handover assets.

Brand + claims

approved language, compliant proof usage, and co-marketing governance.

Baseline requirements before onboarding

The exact scope will vary by partner category, but these are the non-negotiables we expect before we co-deliver or connect systems.

Governance

named owner, implementation SOPs, escalation path, and change approval process.

Security

secure-by-default architecture, access controls, secrets management, and vulnerability management practices.

Privacy

data minimization, retention policy alignment, and contractual readiness (e.g., DPA) when handling patient or lead data.

Integration

API documentation, versioning/change notices, sandbox/testing approach, and rollback plan where relevant.

Operations

delivery plan, QA checklist, support model, and handover artifacts for client teams.

Reporting

measurable outcomes, event taxonomy alignment, and attribution-friendly data handling (as scoped).

Brand + legal

compliant claims discipline, approved proof usage, and brand asset governance.

What these standards are not

  • Not a public certification or accreditation program.
  • Not an approval of clinical quality or medical outcomes.
  • Not permission to use MDS brand, logos, or case studies without written approval.

How partner review works

Integration and data handling expectations

When a partner connects into a healthcare growth system, the priority is safe data handling and predictable operations.

Least privilege

access only what is required for the scoped workflow.

Auditability

logs for critical actions (auth, data access, configuration changes) where applicable.

Data minimization

capture only required fields; avoid PHI unless explicitly contracted and governed.

Secure transport + storage

encryption in transit; encryption at rest where applicable; key management per best practice.

Change control

versioned APIs/integrations; advance notice for breaking changes; rollback path.

Incident handling

defined response path, contact points, and communication expectations per contract.

Co-marketing and claims discipline

Healthcare audiences require precision. We only publish proof that is validated and approved.

  • No implied endorsement: avoid language that suggests MDS 'approves' or 'certifies' a partner.
  • No guarantees: do not promise outcomes (rankings, patients booked, revenue). Use ranges only when evidence-backed and approved.
  • Approval workflow: any use of MDS name, logos, screenshots, or case studies requires written approval.
  • Testimonial governance: consent and context required; edit discipline (no inflated claims).
  • Media rights: only publish assets you own or are licensed to use.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to work within a governed ecosystem?

If you can deliver safely in healthcare and align to a clear operating standard, we will route you to the right track.