Threats Of Threats To Health Information Technology

891 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Security safeguards for electronic medical records

Threats to Health Information Technology
In her article, Strauss takes a line from the Hippocratic oath, that the health care practitioner will ensure patient privacy through the statement, “Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which ought not to be spoken of outside, I will keep secret, as considering all such things to be private” (2012, p. 19). Even in the earliest days of medicine, patient privacy was a concern. With advances in information technology (IT), and its many applications within the healthcare industry, maintaining patient privacy remains as pertinent as ever.
Health systems privacy
Health systems privacy means that protected health information (PHI) stays protected. Only medical personnel that need access to the information should have access. Measures must be in-place to ensure that prying eyes who do not have a need to know are not able to access and expose a patient’s private health information (Strauss, 2012, p. 19) or sell it to others who could profit from this information.
When planning and implementing a health management information system (HMIS), especially from the ground up, health systems privacy must be one of the most fundamental aspects to consider. Limiting assigned access, restraining the ability for the layperson or end user to access information outside of their scope, and ensuring that should breaches occur, they can be tracked and limited. Involvement at a systems’ beginning allows the opportunity to work with the team in creating built-in privacy measures.
Laws, regulations and ethics. Dimitropoulos and Rizk noted that HMIS and Health Information Exchanges (HIE) in general receive protection from “a patchwork of...

... middle of paper ...

...a721-446c-8c66-c2b61252fda0%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=106
Dimitropoulos, L., & Rizk, S. (2009, March/April). A state-based approach to privacy and security for interoperable health information exchange. Health Affairs, 28(2), 428-434. http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.28.2.428
Michelman, A. (2009, March/April). An update on what is being done to keep protected health information secure. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 1(1), 57-70. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=0c60a0e5-a721-446c-8c66-c2b61252fda0%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=106
Strauss, L. J. (2012, May/June). Patient privacy -- then and now. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 14(3), 19-61. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=0c60a0e5-a721-446c-8c66-c2b61252fda0%40sessionmgr115&vid=4&hid=106

Show More
Related

  • HIPPA Violations

    1182 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disclosing confidential patient information without patient consent can happen in the health care field quite often and is the basis for many cases brought against health care facilities. There are many ways confidential information gets into the wrong hands and this paper explores some of those ways and how that can be prevented.

    Read More

  • HIPAA: Privacy and Security Rules The Computer, the Nurse and You

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...). Privacy and Health Information Technology. Journal of Law Medicine, 37(2), 121-149. Retrieved January 28, 2011 from CINAHL database

    Read More

  • The Technological Feasibility of HIPAA Requirements

    3082 Words  | 7 Pages

    The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, is a law designed “to improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage in the group and individual markets, to combat waste, fraud, and abuse in health insurance and health care delivery, to promote the use of medical savings accounts, to improve access to long-term care services and coverage, to simplify the administration of health insurance, and for other purposes.”1 HIPAA mandates that covered entities must employ technological means to ensure the privacy of sensitive information. This white paper intends to study the requirements put forth by HIPAA by examining what is technically necessary for them to be implemented, the technological feasibility of this, and what commercial, off-the-shelf systems are currently available to implement these requirements.

    Read More

  • Summary of HIPAA

    1815 Words  | 4 Pages

    . HIPAA privacy rules are complicated and extensive, and set forth guidelines to be followed by health care providers and other covered entities such as insurance carriers and by consumers. HIPAA is very specific in its requirements regarding the release of information, but is not as specific when it comes to the manner in which training and policies are developed and delivered within the health care industry. This paper will discuss how HIPAA affects a patient's access to their medical records, how and under what circumstances personal health information can be released to other entities for purposes not related to health care, the requirements regarding written privacy policies for covered entities, the training requirements for medical office employees and the consequences for not following the policy.

    Read More

  • HIPAA Act of 1996

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 made it illegal to gain access to personal medical information for any reasons other than health care delivery, operations, and reimbursements” (Shi & Singh, 2008, p. 166). “HIPAA legislation mandated strict controls on the transfer of personally identifiable health data between two entities, provisions for disclosure of protected information, and criminal penalties for violation” (Clayton 2001). “HIPAA also has privacy requirements that govern disclosure of patient protected health information (PHI) placed in the medical record by physicians, nurses, and other health care providers” (Buck, 2011). Always remember conversations about a patient’s health care or treatment is a violation of HIPAA. “All PHI is included in the privacy requirements for example: the patient’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of health care to the individual, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual, and that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe it can be used to identify the individual” (Buck, 2011). Other identifiable health information would be the patient’s name, address, birth date and Social Security Number (Keomouangchanh, 2011). (Word count 197)

    Read More

  • Hipaa

    1885 Words  | 4 Pages

    US Congress created the HIPAA bill in 1996 because of public concern about how their private information was being used. It is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which Congress created to protect confidentiality, privacy and security of patient information. It was also for health care documents to be passed electronically. HIPAA is a privacy rule, which gives patients control over their health information. Patients have to give permission any health care provider can disclose any information placed in the individual’s medical records. It helps limit protected health information (PHI) to minimize the chance of inappropriate disclosure. It establishes national-level standards that healthcare providers must comply with and strictly investigates compliance related issues while holding violators to civil or criminal penalties if they violate the privacy of a person’s PHI. HIPAA also has boundaries for using and disclosing health records by covered entities; a healthcare provider, health plan, and health care clearinghouse. It also supports the cause of disclosing PHI without a person’s consent for individual healthcare needs, public benefit and national interests. The portability part of HIPAA guarantees patient’s health insurance to employees after losing a job, making sure health insurance providers can’t discriminate against people because of health status or pre-existing condition, and keeps their files safe while being sent electronically. The Privacy Rule protects individual’s health information and requires medical providers to get consent for the release of any medical information and explain how private health records are protected. It also allows patients to receive their medical records from any...

    Read More

  • The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH)

    1179 Words  | 3 Pages

    Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act consists of several subtitles. The subtitle D of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act deals with the privacy and security issues that are associated with the electronic transmission of health information. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act requires that as of 2011 all healthcare providers are going to be presented with the opportunity of financial incentives for showing meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). The proposed incentives will be offered up until 2015 and after that, penalties may occur for the failure of representing the use of EHR. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act even started grants for the training centers for all staff members that are required to support a health information technology infrastructure. (www.healthcareitnews.com).

    Read More

  • Hipaa Privacy Rule

    1950 Words  | 4 Pages

    With today's use of electronic medical records software, information discussed in confidence with your doctor(s) will be recorded into electronic data files. The obvious concern is the potential for your records to be seen by hundreds of strangers who work in health care, the insurance industry, and a host of businesses associated with medical organizations. Fortunately, this catastrophic scenario will likely be avoided. Congress addressed growing public concern about privacy and security of personal health data, and in 1996 passed “The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” (HIPAA). HIPAA sets the national standard for electronic transfers of health data.

    Read More

  • The History Of HIPAA

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some of the things that HIPAA does for a patient are it gives patients more control over their health information. It sets boundaries on the use and release of health records. It establishes appropriate guidelines that health care providers and others must do to protect the privacy of the patients’ health information. It holds violators accountable, in court that can be imposed if they violate patients’ privacy rights by HIPAA. Overall HIPAA makes it to where the health information can’t b...

    Read More

  • Electronic Health Record Implementation Essay

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, technology has changed the world, as we knew it. Positive and negative come with change. The goal of the ACA, HIPPA, and EHRs is achieve positive patient outcomes, while protecting the integrity, trust and confidentiality, and decreasing health care cost. Privacy is a fundamental right of a patient, and nurses are expected to maintain confidentiality (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014). A breach in confidentiality will result in lack of trust between nurse and patients. As a nurse, it is my responsibility to ensure my patients privacy, and to provide nursing care that is patient centered, not technology centered.

    Read More

  • Genetic Information vs Privacy

    699 Words  | 2 Pages

    Doctors, hospitals and other care providers dispute that they should have access to the medical records and other health information of any patient citing that they need this information to provide the best possible treatment for proper planning. Insurers on the other hand claim they must have personal health information in order to properly process claims and pay for the care. They also insist that this will provide protection against fraud. Government authorities make the same arguments saying that in providing taxpayer-funded coverage to its citizens, it has the right to know what it is paying for and to protect against fraud and abuse. Researchers both medical and none nonmedical have the same argument saying that they need access to these information so as to improve the quality of care, conduct studies that will make healthcare more effective and produce new products and therapies (Easthope 2005).

    Read More

  • Professional Boundaries in Nursing

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every patient that is admitted to hospital, or seen by a health professional has a right to his or her own privacy, and it is through ensuring professional boundaries are upheld that this basic right can be achieved. According to Levett-Jones and Bourgeois (2011, pp. 237) confidentiality is an obligation made by a professional to respect the information given by a patient to healthcare professional. In this modern age, privacy can be hard as society relies on technology as a form of communication, allowing for information to be more readily available. However, by posting on Facebook about a patient or informing a friend, the trust created in a therapeutic relationship is breach and is called a boundary crossing. Thompson (2010, pp.26) understands that “At times, boundary crossing may be unintentional, but emphasizes th...

    Read More

  • HIMA Code Of Ethics Case Study

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    All health care employees will do everything within their power to protect the patient’s right to privacy. This means they will follow the HIPAA law closely. They will disclose information that is relevant to a specialist or treatment. Also, means they will release information that a patient has asked for as promptly as possible.

    Read More

  • Essay On Confidentiality

    908 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act (PSQIA), Confidential Information and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA), and the Freedom of Information Act all provide legal protection under many laws. It also involves ethical protection. The patient must be able to completely trust the healthcare provider by having confidence that their information is kept safe and not disclosed without their consent. Disclosing any information to the public could be humiliating for them. Patient information that is protected includes all medical and personal information related to their medical records, medical treatments, payment records, date of birth, gender, and

    Read More

  • Self-Assessment: Career Development Of Self In Nursing

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    Technology is having a significant role in various professional positions and will contribute in dictating the future of care delivery. Privacy is

    Read More

More about Threats Of Threats To Health Information Technology

Open Document