PATCH Assessment

Some people use patient information illegally. They could get their name, address, social security number, or credit card information if they have used it to pay their bill. If that happens they someone could easily run up their credit card bill and buy things they want. Then have the bill sent to the patient and before they figure it out they have already maxed out their credit cards while the patient

Health information is a fundamental piece of data which represents a person, business, organization, or a community. This data is vital in monitoring and coordination of care for individuals and communities. It not only monitors and coordinates patient care, but reduces costly mistakes and prevent duplication of treatments as well as taking a pivotal role in preserving, securing, and protecting personal health information. Since, this information is extremely essential and sensitive, it must remain secure and safe to prevent frauds and cyber-attacks. First of all, this paper discusses vitality of the health information in regards to individuals, professionals, and organizations along with its benefits to improve overall quality of life. Secondly, it discusses the role of information technology in various aspects of the industry and the what the future holds within IT.

There is no doubt in that technology has multifaceted benefits but, at the same time, it has forced mankind to feel insecure. Every industry depends upon the data of the customers and the health industry is no more an exception here. The data of each patient is shared to facilitate health itself and for more rigorous and authentic research. Hence, protecting patient data is very important. It is so important that in 1996, the federal government introduced the Health Insurance

Secondly, healthcare organizations should inoculate yourself by having a solid data encryption system. There are different types of data encryption for different kind of data. When the data is at rest, data encryption can be employed in multiple locations and cover structured and unstructured data. The only way to truly be safe is to encrypt the data itself. With the value of data changing over time, new data will require an immediate and new data encryption plan. When the data is in motion, it is easy for hackers to

Poor data storage protection - need to understand where healthcare data exists when it is created, used, stored and communicated. When healthcare data flows inside and outside of a hospital to healthcare professionals, pharmacists and specialists it is easy to overlook where the data might end

Another downfall or disadvantage of using this software is the concerns of client’s security. Most individuals think a disadvantage would be the security vulnerability for the client’s medical records. The ultimate concern is that hackers are still out there and may steal client’s personal information and possible compromise their identity. It does not matter how many password encryptions, security features added, and firewalls are put up, hackers can get in there. However, there are also companies that specialize in security measures for the maintenance of Electronic Health Records software.

With the proliferation of small personal and business computers in the 1990s, records were moving more and more from paper based records that were in the doctor’s offices to digital records stored on hard drives on computers. Many of these computers were also becoming connected to networks and to the internet by this time also. With these new technologies being mixed in with medical records that were previously locked in file cabinets it all of a sudden became much easier for a patients information to be transmitted out of the doctor’s office. (HIPAA Privacy Rule and Public Health, 2003) Of course, this was not a bad thing today we all depend on the ability of our records to be easily transmitted when needed from all sorts of agencies and

Privacy of health information has become an area of emphasis across the healthcare industry. It is important to understand what data is protected under federal regulations, how it can be shared, and how to prevent any accidental exposure of protected data. It is possible that data that should be protected can be exposed without anyone even realizing a violation has occurred. Exposure of protected healthcare data can result in medical identity theft and is therefore a very important and hot topic. The security and privacy of healthcare data is necessary to ensure consumer confidence in the healthcare industry and to prevent medical identity theft.

Technology has come a long way when it comes to pretty much any aspect of life. It is more convenient to just buy things online instead of waiting in line at a store and have it shipped right to your front door step. With new technological advances comes new ways to commit crimes, such as identity fraud. Just by getting some information about a person they can ruin that person’s identity bring them thousands of dollars in debt. So we know that technology is a good thing but a little more risky when it comes to personal information. That’s what brings me to electronic health records. Going from the standard paper record to the more detailed electronic health record is a step in the right direction, but with that step there are risks that need to be considered. Electronic health records means all your personal information is stored in a data base electronically. What is stopping criminals from breaking into that data base and stealing all your information? That is what we will look at in this paper, the pros and the cons of electronic health records.

Health information technology (HIT) involves trading of health information in an electronic format to advance health care, reduce health expenditures, improve work efficiency, decrease medication errors, and make health care more accessible. Maintaining privacy and security of health information is crucial when technology is involved. Health information exchange plays an important role in improving the quality and delivery of health care and cost-effectiveness. “There is very little electronic information sharing among clinicians, hospitals, and other providers, despite considerable investments in health information technology (IT) over the past five years” (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014, p. 1).

When a person heads to a hospital because they are feeling ill and wish to seek medical attention, quality of care may not be the first thought on their mind. They are pre-occupied with their ailment and may not give thought to the person checking them in or the person taking their weight and height. All of these minor but important actions are part of a much larger picture. They all contribute significantly to the importance of clinical information systems (referred to as CIS) and the effect it has on healthcare quality. The public depends on healthcare providers to help heal them and healthcare providers depend on CIS to help them heal the public.

As the healthcare industry moves forward with electronic records, the need for security increases as well. Electronic health records allow individual data breaches to involve thousands or millions of records, rather than the few paper records a thief can physically carry.

One of the big disadvantages is the potential for misuse of the information. An example of misuse is the Breach of HIPAA policies. While working in the military health environment in Spain, there were many times that someone I knew socially was a patient in the clinic. One such encounter netted a good friend’s whose husband was treated for an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and was prompted to notify all his sexual partners. His wife did not come in for a visit; which caused a moral dilemma, questioning what to do; I spoke with the treating physician and voiced my concerns. The physician took charge and the appropriate action was completed, thereby avoiding a HIPAA violation. In the wrong hands medical information can be abused. The stringent punishment for HIPPA violations has curtailed the misuse of information and limited the public outcries for help. According to the AMA a person can be charged with both “civil and criminal

As touched on in class, information is a source of influence and power and, thus, accurate information is vital to effective decision making. Essentially, data is the foundation on which we make choices (large or small, routine or strategic), persuade individuals, or even businesses. While there is no shortness of data in the world, it is important to know what information is correct and necessary to move forward. Accurate data entry (ex. the registrar gathering correct demographics) can increase a healthcare organization’s overall value by promoting better clinical outcomes, smarter business decisions, and even leading to a greater ROI. Data is always correct (I am 23 years old, not 23 and 34 years old) but the information can be wrong

In light of available security measures and their widespread acceptance within the information security community, there is no excuse for healthcare organizations to fail in fulfilling their duty to protect personal patient information. Guaranteeing the confidentiality and privacy of data in healthcare information is crucial in safeguarding the data of patients as there should be a legal responsibility to protect medical records from unauthorized access.