...III. Security and Privacy Issues of electronic medical records Although it has been around three decades, moving from paper-based to electronic medical records might still face some issues and challenges. These issues can be classified as information use and disclosure; information viruses and errors; secondary use of the information; unauthorized access; and external or internal attacks. Therefore, electronic medical record needs a high level of anonymity, and privacy and security are considered as the most essential obstacles that face this anonymity. There are different laws in the United States that care about the patient’s rights of security and privacy, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However,...
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...patient’s electronic protected health information is an important issue when it comes to privacy for the patients and physicians. “Communicating with patients using mobile devices such as Blackberrys, iPhones, iPads, or Android phones is fast growing trend among healthcare providers” (Barrett, 2011) . In the world today physicians and patients are using mobile devices an order to communicate with each other more and more. This of course raises distresses when it comes to the security of protected health information. This article discusses the issue on security by the use of electronic transfer of protected health information between health care providers and patients and also how those issues may cross HIPAA Security Rule. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was establish in 1996, in order to protect the privacy and security of patient’s health information. “The Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information (the Security Rule) establish a national set of security standards for protecting certain health information that is held or transferred in electronic form” (U.S Department of Health & Human Services, n.d). There are many reasons why the use of mobile devices triggers the HIPAA Security Rule. Unauthorized disclosure of protect health information is very much at risk because mobile devices can only store in two ways: within the phone memory itself; or within the SIM card. When physicians and patients exchange...
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...in itself is innovative as it continues to grow there are precautions and risks that will arise. In this paper, the privacy risks of telemedicine, security safeguards that could be put into place to reduce or eliminate those risk, along with strategies for evaluating the effectiveness of telemedicine. Privacy Risks and Security Safeguards As progression in novelty began to be more prominent, the matter in which health care operates begin to change. Health information exchanges (HIEs) allow a patient’s information to effortlessly be shared. With providers being allowed to bring their own devices, health care workers are permitted to get, record or offer information from anyplace at any time. Providers now have the ability to treat patients from a distance, sometimes from the comforts of their own home. However, despite the obvious progressive improvements, concerns arise. As a health care organization, grows securing protected health information (PHI) and following the rules and laws within the Health insurance portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) become more difficult. Not every device employed during a patients visit will be properly secure. The providers may device may be secure, but we have to take in consideration that the patients electronic devices may not be. Patient misidentification unfortunately does happen, and often times enough patient...
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...Administrative Ethics Paper Kerri Love HCS/335 October 21, 2014 Jennifer Hilkert Administrative Ethics Paper Patient privacy is a very important aspect to all businesses within the health care field. Whether businesses like it or not, there are strict guidelines that everyone has to follow regarding patient privacy. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2014), “the HIPAA Security Rule outlines national standards designed to protect individuals’ electronic protected health information that is created, used, or maintained by a covered entity.” Businesses have to be careful about what they share with their employees through any type of electronic media because it can be saved. It is important to remember that all patient health information is covered under the HIPAA rule and the HIPAA security rule. Both of these rules help protect patients’ privacy whether it is in a file or electronic format. There are many things that could happen if either of these rules is breached. If the information is through electronic medical records, it can easily be stolen if there are not enough guidelines set up to protect the information. Hackers like to be able to hack into the system and steal any information they can. If a business has their information stolen, it is important to make sure they file a grievance and take the necessary steps to render the situation. If they do not make sure they do what they are supposed to do, they can be fined a lot of money regarding...
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...guidelines. Term Definition How It Is Used in Health Care Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Passed in August 1996, the original intent was to prohibit individuals from losing insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions when changing employers. Also HIPAA protects patient privacy by disclosing who has access to private health information. Additionally HIPAA reduces fraud by outlining punishment for privacy violators and preventing unlawful sharing of patient information. HIPAA prohibits health care organizations and clinicians from sharing or using patient’s personal health information (PHI) without permission except when related to treatment among clinicians, payment or reimbursement, public health services, law enforcement, and certain research applications. Electronic medical record A complete, computerized copy of a patient’s physical chart and includes the patient’s history at one specific practice or organization. The hard copy pages of the paper chart are scanned into a computer chart. EMR is primarily limited to use within one specific practice or health care organization. EMR helps medical practices operate more efficiently by easily tracking patients for follow up, assisting in diagnosing, flagging problems or medication issues, reducing billing time, and improving administrative applications....
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...organizations. Electronic health records with satellite facilities supported by remote technology. Electronic health records emerged as one of the most relevant topics in health care; EHRs are central in the strategy of federal government to transform health care providing in the U.S. (Henricks, 2011). Federal actions are promoting EHR in order to guarantee important implications for nursing practices. The technology implies also payment penalties for those providers who do not manage to meet the requirements of EHRs use. EHR technology has to be certified according to technical and functional criteria that are set forth by the government. The using of EHR technology is significantly important for laboratories (Henricks, 2011) since the certification criteria of EHR have to be related directly to laboratory testing or laboratory management. Federal government identified the goals for improving healthcare and EHRs are central for these goals. EHRs with satellite facilities aims at the following points, it should: * improve safety, efficiency, and quality of public healthcare and reduce people's health disparities; * engage the patients and their families in healthcare services; * improve healthcare coordination; * improve public health and population in general; * reduce costs; * maintain security and privacy of health information provided by the patients (Henricks, 2011). Electronic health records become more and more usual. The use of electronic health...
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...Ethics Portable digital devices, such as smart phones, tablets, and netbooks, now permeate our society. These devices allow substantial efficiencies in access to and communication of information by health professionals. The efficiencies and conveniences of mobile communication are even more astonishing in that they have become accepted and expected aspects of everyday life within a very brief time period (Taube, 2013). In today’s world a high percentage of physicians carry some mode of mobile communication that enables them to care for their patients when away from their physical practice. As mobile devices have developed, we now have the ability to write and receive emails, dictation, filming, photographing, and image sharing available to most smart phone users. All of these features drastically increase the chance that a patient’s privacy could be breached. If a physician’s mobile device is lost or stolen there is a substantially higher risk of disclosure of a large volume of detailed, identifiable treatment and personal contact information for a wide range of the physician’s patients. Ethical and legal issues Mobile devices are particularly vulnerable to loss and theft because of their small size and portability. The most common form of security breach is the theft of a cell phone. In addition, clinicians are far more likely to use their own personal mobile devices, rather than employer-issued mobile devices, to access and exchange electronic protected health information...
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...and efficient patient care environment. Health information technology (HIT), such as hand-held portable devices, has improved exponentially over the decades resulting in improved communication between health care organization staff and accessibility of patient files. However, the uses of hand-held portable devices are not entirely without faults. By identifying the benefits of hand-held portable devices, health care organizations must consider the impact of patient privacy and how to secure it within their environment. Hand-held portable devices have been a blessing in the health care environment. The portability of a cell phone or a tablet allows physicians to access patient files anywhere and anytime. In addition, the use of pagers provides medical personnel the capability to reach a physician at any time. Pager networks provide better signal than cell phone signals and are more reliable than wireless internet signals. In the event of disasters, pagers were often most...
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...being embraced by healthcare to help lower cost, streamline facilities and improve patient outcomes. One area of technology that is making a big impact on healthcare is those that can make thing more simple. There are a number of tools that are used to obtain this. Some which are; computerized provider order entry (CPOE), electronic medical records (EMR), handheld digital devices, the use of barcodes...
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...social interaction via the web. The ability to view information via phone computer and other mobile devices has become common practice in today’s society. Social interaction has migrated into the hospital setting. It is estimated 60% of healthcare consumers search the web for medical information, healthcare provider information and hospital selection ("Healthcare success," para. 6). 1. Chosen business and how they use the Internet. (http://www.barnabashealth.org/Newark-Beth-Israel-Medical-Center.aspx) Currently Newark Beth Israel Medical Center a 670 bed nonprofit hospital in New Jersey provides patient consumers access to such information via its web homepage. It provides patients with electronic access to; staff physicians biographies and contact information, clinical services which the facility provides such as cardiac intervention and surgery and hospital based patient health events. 2. Comparable business and how they use the Internet Emaro, L. A. (September 2012). Patient portals: express Lane on information highway. Journal of AHIMA , 83, 24-28. Retrieved from http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_049724.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_049724 Hospitals such as Cox health have advanced their social interaction via the net by creating a portal for their patients to access their individual healthcare information. The portal experiences significant patient and facility interaction commonly incurring 33,000 users who login to; check diagnostic test results...
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...Care A Critical Regulatory Issue in Health Care Congress grants agencies the ability to create regulations to promote and carry out public policy (Fremgen, 2012). A critical health care regulatory issue in today’s world is The Privacy and Security Rule. The Privacy Rule, 45 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 160 and Subparts A and E of Part 164 govern the privacy of individually identifiable health information and the security of electronic individually identifiable health information. CFR 45 Part 160 is otherwise known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). HIPAA enacted in 1996, outlines the conditions protected health information (PHI) may be used or released by covered entities or individuals. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The Privacy Rule, modified in 2002 and 2003, set standards for protecting the integrity and confidentiality of PHIs covered entities must follow. Medical organizations and their employees have a legal and ethical responsibility to protect patients’ medical privacy at all times. Health care facilities and employees who fail to implement effective privacy rules and regulations are subject to fines, accreditation problems, and possible suits from affected individuals. Facilities and government agencies are liable to HHS for fines but also the cost of creating and adhering to a corrective...
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...HIPAA Privacy Rule is one the most important regulations in the Health and Human Services (HHS) because it sets the guidelines forcing medical practices to keep patients date securely and privacy. The Privacy Rule mandates that the minimum amount of protected health information (PHI) is to be accessed or requested by HIPAA covered entities (www.hhs.gov, 2014). Nowadays, healthcare providers need quick access to patient medical information anywhere at any time the patients present in order to provide efficiency and quality care to patients. Since people can access to patient’s information easily, the number of HIPPA violations increase dramatically. The advent of the internet has had a major impact on the healthcare industry in the last...
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...alike. Healthcare costs have been steadily increasing, and a growing number of healthcare providers and patients worry that the recent budget crunches faced by healthcare providers will affect patient care in the years ahead. Healthcare providers are taking advantage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funding to launch telehealth initiatives to face down some of healthcare’s most daunting challenges. According to the American Telemedicine Association: "Telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve patients' health status. Closely associated with telemedicine is the term 'telehealth,' which is often used to encompass a broader definition of remote health care that does not always involve clinical services. Videoconferencing, transmission of still images, e-health including patient portals, remote monitoring of vital signs, continuing medical education and nursing call centers are all considered part of telemedicine and telehealth." Following decades of media attention focused on the potential for telemedicine to transform health care delivery, the technology has matured, as has the acceptance of its use among providers and payers. 2. The Value of Telehealth/Telemedicine Telehealth enables collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem, regardless of where patients and healthcare providers are located. As a result, telehealth delivers several major benefits to healthcare...
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...and if those accesses are required. The security audit should monitor the companies systems and users to detect illicit activity.The security audit should include searches for security events and the abuse of user privileges, along with a review of directory permissions, payroll controls, accounting system configurations, ensure backup software is configured, and backups are completed as required, review network shares for sensitive information with wide-open permissions. During the security audit, a report of offices should be conducted to ensure security policies and procedures are followed. Security Management Currently, PFCH has a Chief Compliance Officer in place to ensure the hospital meets all laws and regulations regarding patient privacy. The CCO is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining a system-wide Corporate Compliance program. The COO also oversees the Security Officer, the Director of Medical Records and the Director of Q.A. / Risk Management. In addition to the COO, PFCH has a director of Information Technology on staff to manage and evaluate all business cases the impact the infrastructure of the hospital. The COO works with the Security Officer, director of Medical records, and the director of Q.A. and Risk Management to manage the information...
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...Table of Contents 2. Biomedical and Electronic skin patch 2 Motivation behind the Technology 5 Applications 6 Drug delivery system 6 Health monitoring 8 Medium of Communication 11 Human Computer Interaction Interface 12 Stakeholders 12 3. Ethical and Legal Concerns with the technology 14 3.1 Legal Issues 14 Inconsistent Medication 14 Number of Impacts of Wireless Technology 15 Data Integrity and Hacking 16 3.2 Ethical dilemma 17 Cultural and religious criticism 17 Public Monitoring/privacy 19 Impact on people with disabilities 20 Cost issues 20 Social Issues/implications 20 Credibility of Source of Information 21 4. Resolutions for these dilemmas 22 4.1 Possible solution 22 Tackling health issues 22 Preventing leakage of personal information 23 Preventing Overuse of Skin Patch 24 Addressing cultural issues 24 Denying any form of tracking human information 25 4.2 Strategy for implementation 25 Conclusion 26 Reference List 26 1. Introduction The purpose of this report is to identify the legal and ethical issues related to electronic skin patch and provide a possible solution to tackle it. The limitations of current medical science lead to the advancement of biomedical science to resolve the gap. The report further deals with the new technology electronic skin patch that promises to overcome the potholes of the traditional medical science. It provides the detailed analysis of the technology and the strategy...
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