The Privacy and Confidentiality of Patients Information - Essay Example

The Privacy and Confidentiality of Patients Informations Despite the benefits associated with technology, health experts affirm that electronic medical records disclose patients’ information (Wartenberg & Thompson, 2010). The risk of internet security is high in the sense that most websites regard users to use password for security purposes. Although the security may be higher when the user has the password and an ID to access information, lack of privacy and confidentiality may be high when the third party has access to the logins details. In health care, protection of confidentiality is important as it builds a strong relationship between the patients and health care providers. Quality patient care necessitates effective communication between health systems and health professionals. Health experts who work with patients should diligently work hard to facilitate the development of laws, policies, and standards that protect patient confidentiality and privacy of health information and records. This research presents a scholarly literature review of the Privacy And Confidentiality Of Patients Informations. In the article entitled Electronic Medical Records: Confidentiliaty Issues at the Time of HIPAA 2009, Richards Margaret focus on how much or which information is appropriate to be placed in an electronic medical record. The author’s question lays a strong ground to understand how the recent advancements in technology have changed the system utilized to retrieve and record health information. In addition, this article creates insights on how health professionals have used technological tools such as phones, faxes, and computers to record and transfer patients’ information. In most instances, the information placed on the mentioned technological devices may lack privacy especially when most people have access to the login details. The lack of privacy and confidentiality of patient information has the potential to affect quality health care. In such instances, patients may fear that the exposure of their personal information may result to personal embarrassment, job discrimination, or denial or loss of health insurance. Considering the limitations associated with electronic medical records, this article affirms that health professionals should clearly determine what information is appropriate to include in their records. The records should be blocked to other medical professionals and should only be viewed with the permission of the psychologist or psychiatrist. In their article, Khazaal et al (2008) supports the findings of the above article. The article outline how the internet has been both a valuable and invaluable tool in searching and compiling medical information. The recent innovations in technology have transformed the health care delivery as well as the systems utilized to retrieve and record health information. With technology in mind, health professionals have been in a better position to compile patient medical information and access it at ease when required. In most cases, health professionals use electronic methods to compile information such as patient’s medical diagnosis, insurance information, prescription, and the side effects of the treatment. With this information, a health professional can easily comprehend the patient’s progress over a span of time. Still, compling patient information enables other health professionals to understand the medical background of the patient despite not being familiar with the patient. Although the internet is a significant tool associated with the exploration of health information, there are disadvantages associated with the tool. To some extent, the article claims that internet may promote discrimination especially if the third party has an access the patient’s medical information. Although most health organizations utilize login details, the truth of the matter is that this does not fully promote the privacy and confidentiality of patient information. In their article Privacy Versus Public Health: The Impact of Current Confidentiality Rules 2010 Wartenberg Daniel and Thompson Douglas present recent concerns of how identity theft, patient confidentiality, and privacy have hindered quality health care delivery. In great thoughts, Wartenberg & Thompson (2010) highlight how improvements in technology advancements have created a platform for all deaths and births with detailed medical characteristics have been recorded in the United States. Unfortunately, the recent improvements in technology have posed threats to privacy protection. When a patients’ record is easily assessed by other health professionals, the patients have concerns about who to trust or not. In conclusion, the article campaigns for a change in the health sector about patient’s confidentiality and privacy. Still, the authors beseech governments across the globe to implement strategies that focus on providing patients with the records when need be. In some instance, Wartenberg & Thompson (2010) bring into light how some patients are denied rights to access their sensitive personal information. With this, the article calls for scientists to challenge the health sector about the importance of releasing patient information when required. To support this article, Frojd et al (2008) presented their facts and information on how cancer patients desire to obtain information about the disease, how it's developed, and treated. Although most doctors find it not good to disclose some information to patients, this article affirm that patients have the right to obtain information about their medical records and treatment. The awareness of how the disease is spread, treated, and its death cases is important in that by giving patients this information, doctors may understand their patients’ psychological, emotional, and informational needs. Lastly, Adams, Blandford, & Attfield (2005) investigates patients’, managers, and clinician's perception on digital resources in the health sector. In depth, the research conducted interviews to gather information about the subject. The findings highlighted that, information technology has played a significant role in promoting the privacy and confidentiality of patient information. This article perceives that, with the use of the password and ID it prevents many people from accessing the patient information. Although previous articles highlight that the use of logins disclose patient information, the fact of the matter is that it only discloses to people who need to have the access to the information. These people include clinicians, physicians, and nurses among others. This article argues that, the mentioned individuals are important in the health sector as they diligently work hard to promote the patient’s well-being. With this in mind, disclosing the patient information may significantly assist the mentioned health professionals to promote the patient’s health. Thus far, the subject about the privacy and confidentiality of patients information has been controversial in the health sector. Most people wonder how much or what information should be disclosed. On attempt to answer the two questions, various researchers have given their views on this subject. This paper has presented a research of scholarly literature peer review whereby in great thoughts each of the reviews has addressed the subject. In this regard, the paper has achieved its intended purpose of discussing about the Privacy and Confidentiality of Patients Information. Increasing Patients’ Security And Reducing Staff Burden HIPPA and the last Privacy rule have contributed to use of high quality technology in managing proper and secure access of patient’s information through introduction of security measures such as personal identification before access is authenticated. Inability to obey the rules may attract heavy penalties. HIPPA security rules require confidentiality, integrity, availability, protection against anticipated threats, and compliance by work force as far as patient,s security is concerned. Some of the ways of increasing patient’s security is by use of secure email, onsite health portal, desktops and laptop securities. HIPPA also reduces the health workers burden in terms of securing health information for their patients (Decker 2007). Any email sent to the patient, payor or any other health provider must be encrypted to ensure it is safe and that it only reach the intended receiver. Doctors can therefore share patient’s information without inclusion of a third party such as a file porter who may access patient’s information from the physical file. The doctors who may be far from the hospital may use OnSite Health portal to access their patient’s files without travelling to the hospital or saving information in their personal emails or USB drive which may be stolen or misplaced (Decker 2007). Laptops and mobile devices use encryption, data wiping and device tracking softwares hence ensuring secure access to the patient’s information by the right intended people and further provides a way of deleting information in case the laptop or the phone gets lost as it also forbids text messaging the health information. All the patient health information is stored in the network drive but not on the C drive or the desktops and the introduction of different automatic log outs at the medical centres to secure the information even when the desktops are stolen or interrupted by the third party (Decker 2007). The health practitioners are required to remember their passwords and avoid sharing it with others in order to secure the patient’s information. At time of disposal of the patient’s information, all the devices used such as computers and other portable media devices should be sanitized before they are reused or disposed since data can never be permanently erased from an electronic device. Always destroy all papers with the patient’s information by using paper shredder and never recycle or throw them at the garbage but instead lock them in a special lock bin. Any violation of HIPPA rules must be reported within 24 hours regardless of how it was accessed such as whether by accident or intentional and any violation may impose heavy duty on individual or institution of up to $1.5 million. References Adams, A., Blandford, A., & Attfield, S. (2005). Implementing digital resources for clinicians' and patients' varying needs. Medical Informatics & The Internet In Medicine, 30(2), 107-122. doi:10.1080/14639230500298875. Decker, Jennifer. (2007). HIPAA Privacy and Security Standards for the Electronic Office. ENT Today. http://www.enttoday.org/details/article/527299/HIPAA_Privacy_and_Security_Standards_for_the_Electronic_Office.html. Fröjd, C., Lampic, C., Larsson, G., Birgegård, G., & von Essen, L. (2007). Patient attitudes, behaviours, and other factors considered by doctors when estimating cancer patients’ anxiety and desire for information.Scandinavian Journal Of Caring Sciences, 21(4), 523-529. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6712.2007.00507.x Khazaal, Y., Chatton, A., Cochand, S., Hoch, A., Khankarli, M. B., Khan, R., & Zullino, D. (2008). Internet Use by Patients with Psychiatric Disorders in Search for General and Medical Informations. Psychiatric Quarterly, 79(4), 301-309. doi:10.1007/s11126-008-9083-1. Richards, M.M. (2009). Electronic Medical Records: Confidentiality Issues in the Time of HIPAA. American Psychological Association, 40 (6), 550-556. Wartenberg, D,& Thompson, D.W. (2010). Privacy Versus Public Health: The Impact of Current Confidentiality Rules. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (3), 407-412. Read More