Nursing responsibilities for protecting digital health information security

Security of Health Care Records

The objective of this study is to review the learning resources dealing with the security of digital health care information and to reflect on the organization and think about how health information is stored electronically and protected. This work will consider the responsibility of the nurse to ensure the protection of patient information and identify the strategies that can be used and will further reflect on ethical issues that are likely to arise with the increased access to newer, smaller and more powerful technology tools. This work finally, will consider strategies that can be implemented to ensure that the use of HIT contributes to an overall culture of safety.

Digital Health Record - Risks

The work of Kopala and Mitchell (2011) reports that there has been a great increase in the use of digital health records. While there are a great many benefits to the use of digital health records, there are also concerns that have been raised about the risks and barriers to the use of digital health records. Various risks have been linked to the use of EMRs/EHRs and the primary risks identified are those related to the privacy of patient and security breaches of data. Other risks are cost-related, system implementation related, risks related to inaccuracies of data and liability issues. (Kopala and Mitchell, 2011, paraphrased)

III. Risk Reduction Strategies

Strategies for addressing barriers and overcoming these barriers are inclusive of keeping clear communication at all organizational levels throughout the process and acknowledging the impact of the organization's culture as well as capitalizing on all the organizational strengths and the maintenance of realistic expectations. (Kopala and Mitchell, 2011, paraphrased) Other strategies cited include "using effective change management strategies, and having a shared vision. Achieving user buy-in, providing quality adequate training that sufficiently prepares staff and fits staff needs, attending to workflow needs and patterns, having adequate and sufficient policies to guide implementation and maintenance of the system, ensuring awareness of those policies, and having a contingency plan for anticipated system downtime and other potential malfunctions are also suggested strategies." (Kopala and Mitchell, 2011)