Health information privacy in U.S. correctional facilities

Privacy of Health Records in the United States: Health Information Privacy in the Correctional Setting

The advent of technology both eased the handling of patients' health records by health practitioners and elevated the importance of health information privacy in all health care facilities. According to Goldstein (2014), electronic health records (EHRs) are important in the delivery of patient centered medical care, improving the quality of care offered to patients, and reducing health disparities and medical errors. Compared to paper records, electronic records receive information from multiple providers and allow for the tracking of the patient's health throughout their life, which facilitates the access and sharing of health information for a variety of healthcare providers (Grady, 2012).

The problem

While majority of healthcare facilities are enjoying the benefits of electronic health records, some are yet to adopt the use of health information technology. In the U.S. correctional setting for example, there is limited use of EHRs and electronic health information exchanges. Goldstein (2014) states that one study established that there is very little exchange of electronic information between systems, community providers, and correctional facilities. Furthermore, the absence of electronic exchanges implies that there lacks appropriate security and privacy policies that must be established to fully enjoy the benefits of EHRs.

It is important to adopt health information technology, while at the same time adhering to health information privacy rules particularly due to the large number of correctional setting in the U.S. And the large number of Americans affected. For instance, in 2008, approximately 2.3 million people were inmates in a given day; and during the months ending June 2012, there was a midyear inmate population of 744,524, with more than 11 million people being admitted to jail (Goldstein). It is imperative for correctional facilities to adopt EHRs in order to handle all of the patient's records effectively; and at the same time adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that sets the national standards for the protection of health information.

Solutions

The government should acknowledge the importance of EHRs and electronic health information exchanges in the correctional setting and address the technological and financial barriers that may be impeding their adoption. Grady (2012) claims there should be continuous Medicare EHR incentive programs to eligible correctional centers that demonstrate proper use of technology.

The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that in order for the implementation of health information technology to be successful, the correctional facilities should also adopt the HIPAA privacy rule as the uniform standard for the confidentiality of medical data. It would also be accurate to suggest that inmates consent should be considered before disclosure of confidential information to other correctional facilities, health care providers, and correctional systems. All these solutions will facilitate access, transfer, and maintenance of electronic health records, improve patient care and reduce medical errors and health disparities; while at the same time putting the inmates' rights and the privacy law into consideration.