Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
As much as possible, it should also include all outside vendors and casual hires.
Although employee leaks remain the primary source for the loss of proprietary information attacks on information systems by hackers, viruses, worms and the occasional angry employee are becoming an increasingly more serious problem. The actual seriousness of this problem is skewed due to the fact that most institutions do not report such occurrences in order to avoid the negative publicity associated with such breaches.
Security breaches of this nature have traditionally been relegated to the exclusive province of it personnel. It was believed that such personnel were best able to handle such problems and, for the most part, that remains the case but due to the increase in such occurrences collateral damage must now be addressed as well. It technologists can correct the underlying problem that allowed the breach to occur but it remains the responsibility of management to determine how to handle the after effects.
The problem with security breaches relative to medical records is intensified currently by the increased pressure to utilize digital medical records. The standardization of medical records is seen by many as a way to lower health care costs. Critics argue that in the process a corresponding increase in security problems is likely to develop. Unfortunately the trend toward standardization is a reality that must be dealt with and management must find a way to safeguard their institution's information within the context of standardization.
In order to do so, a system of safeguards should put in place as soon as practically possible. Such safeguards should include controls and guidelines to ensure the protection of data and information, including all clinical records against loss, destruction and tampering. They should protect against unwarranted and unauthorized removal of records from the physical premises. Accuracy of all records is...
Every effort must be made to make communications between these various offices as open and unfiltered as possible. A well disciplined checks and balances system should be utilized. In an era when information is so easily accessed and transferred, it is essential that no one person or department has absolute control over any information. Passwords for access to all vital information should be changed and reset on a frequent basis and subject to strict protocols. Needless to say, daily backup of all data, configuration files and source codes must be done.
Modern technology has brought many important benefits to the operation of large institutions but it has also brought corresponding problems. It is the responsibility of management to ensure that the benefits are realized while at the same time avoiding as many of the problems as possible. The role of a professional information officer is to effectively oversee such operation. By implementing the suggestions offered herein the possible damaging use of any of the hospital's proprietary information should be minimized.
Footnotes
Gallagher, L. (2009). 2009 HIMSS Security Survey. Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
2 Id
3 Health Information Privacy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2010, from Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy
4 Nickels, William, McHugh, James, McHugh, Susan, (2008). Understanding Business, McGraw-Hill
5 Security Research in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon. (2010). Retrieved November 29, 2010, from Computer Science Department: http://www.csd.cs.cmu.edu/research.areas/security
3 Health Information Privacy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2010, from Department of Health and Human Services: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy
4 Nickels, William, McHugh, James, McHugh, Susan, (2008). Understanding Business, McGraw-Hill
5 Security Research in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon. (2010). Retrieved November 29, 2010, from Computer Science Department: http://www.csd.cs.cmu.edu/research.areas/security
Protection of Intellectual Property Intellectual property is any form of an idea that originates from a person or company and used to create innovative products, or services. Theft of these ideas by foreign entities to produce similar knock off goods has had a negative effect to both the owners of the idea and economy as a whole. The United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) have taken
Information Technology Copyright Issues There is no doubt that the digital revolution ushered forward by the computer and Internet age has changed myriad aspects of contemporary society. In addition to significant social and cultural changes and the evolution of political discourse on a global basis, the digital revolution has also profoundly changed the landscape of centuries of established legal principles that pertain to the proprietary ownership and protection of original intellectual
Health Information Exchange BOON OR BANE? Health Information Exchange in the U.S. The Guidelines Benefits Privacy and Security Challenges and Strategies Why Clinicians Use or Don't Use HIE Doctors' Opinion on HIE Consumer Preferences around HIE Health Information Exchange or HIE is a system, which allows the immediate electronic access of a person's health information records by a health provider (Fricton and Davies, 2008). The overall objective is to improve the safety and quality of health, especially for emergency care.
Electronic Surveillance on-The-Job: The Pros and Cons of Employee Monitoring Modern technology has allowed employers many new capacities, including the capacity to electronically oversee employees every action while on-the-job. In recent years many employees have argued that surveillance while on-the-job is a violation of their right to privacy. Employers argue however that employees should not have a right to privacy in the workplace, especially as the employer pays them to perform
Protecting People and Information: Threats and Safeguards In this contemporary era, we are living in a world that rotates around "Information Economy." This means that the wheels of the world no longer run predominantly on agricultural products or merchandise. The secret of surviving in the present days is the creation and propagation of information (Hill & Pemberton, 1995). Information is vital for the continuous functioning of every venture. Today, information has been
Classification Securing information is vital in the modern business world to assist in safeguarding organization's assets of value such as stored data. Nonetheless, most firms view information security as inhibitor in achieving business goals thus, they initiate ineffective procedures which render information access and storage meaningless. In this regard, this paper aims at discussing information classification and supporting evidence why organizations should initiate classification of information in their daily operations. Information