- Read the following Ethics case. Discuss and analyze using the ETHICAL model presented in Chapter 5.
Paul is a 12 year old male diabetic. He maintains his personal digital assistant (PDA), hand-held device, that interfaces with his glucometer and provides information based on inputted data from him and his parents. This information is transmitted to his MD/hospital, school nurse, case manager (CM), and to the parents’ home computer. All in an attempt to better control his diabetes. You are his CM.
The PDA sends an update to you since Paul’s blood glucose levels have been rising steadily for the last 5 days. The physician has left a message for you to contact this family and have them come in for an evaluation. You know that both of his parents work so you send an e-mail message to the parents’ via their home computer asking them to bring Paul in for an assessment. Since you are in a hurry and will be seeing other patients when they return from work, you decide to add more information to the message than normal reviewing with them the importance of maintaining control over the diabetes and expressing your concern since Paul has not checked in with you lately. You tell them that you think he might be over-doing it since he is trying to play football. You ask how they are doing and if they are still attending their counseling sessions.
Paul’s 4 year old sister, Lilah, sends your email out to all of the diabetic lists that both Paul and his parents belong. They interact with people on these lists regularly.
The parents are outraged that this information was sent everywhere. Imagine that you are the designated Privacy Officer in a healthcare institution.
Explain the following:
- How would you feel in this situation?
- What is the problem? (Clearly state the problem)
- What ethical principles would guide you in this case?
- What are the alternatives for solving this dilemma?
- What are the consequences for each alternative generated?
- In your opinion, what is the first choice from the alternatives and why?
- Does your choice take into consideration all of the persons involved and the consequences to each of them?
- If the worst case scenario would occur based on your choice, could you live with your decision?
- Based on your choice, what is your plan of action?
- What types of monitoring procedures would you develop?
- What would you include in your sanctions for violations policy?
- How would you address the following?
- Tracking each point of access of the patient’s database including who entered the data
- Nurses in your hospital have an access code that only gives them access to their Unit’s patients. A visitor accidentally comes to the wrong unit looking for a patient and asks the nurse to find out what unit the patient is on.
Please submit one APA formatted paper between1800 words, not including the title and reference page. The assignment should have a minimum of Four scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The given case involves a 12-year-old male diabetic, Paul, and the mishandling of his medical information. As a designated Privacy Officer in a healthcare institution, we are required to analyze this case using the ETHICAL model presented in Chapter 5.
1. How would you feel in this situation?
As a designated Privacy Officer in a healthcare institution, I would feel concerned and alarmed. The situation presents a clear violation of confidentiality and privacy of the patient’s medical information. Such incidents can lead to a loss of trust in the healthcare system and affect the patient’s mental and emotional well-being.
2. What is the problem? (Clearly state the problem)
The problem in this case is the mishandling of Paul’s medical information. The message intended for his parents was inadvertently sent out to all the diabetic lists that they were a part of, resulting in unauthorized access to his medical information by a large group of people. This violation of confidentiality and privacy is a significant ethical and legal issue.
3. What ethical principles would guide you in this case?
The ethical principles that would guide me in this case are confidentiality, privacy, and informed consent. As a healthcare professional, I have an obligation to protect and respect the patient’s medical information and ensure that their privacy is maintained. Informed consent is essential, and patients have the right to be informed of who can access their medical records and for what purposes.
4. What are the alternatives for solving this dilemma?
The alternatives for solving this dilemma could include:
a) Apologizing to the patient and the family for the mishandling of their medical information and taking corrective actions to prevent such incidents in the future.
b) Increasing awareness among healthcare professionals regarding confidentiality, privacy, and informed consent, and providing training to handle such incidents.
c) Implementing stricter access control measures, such as two-factor authentication, and monitoring procedures to track each point of access of the patient’s database.
5. What are the consequences for each alternative generated?
The consequences of each alternative generated are as follows:
a) Apologizing and taking corrective action can help restore the patient’s trust in the healthcare system, but it may not guarantee the prevention of similar incidents.
b) Training healthcare professionals and increasing awareness can help prevent such incidents in the future, but it may not address the consequences of the current case.
c) Implementing stricter access control measures and monitoring procedures can help prevent such incidents in the future, but it may not address the current situation’s consequences.
6. In your opinion, what is the first choice from the alternatives and why?
In my opinion, the first choice would be to apologize to the patient and the family and take corrective actions to prevent such incidents in the future. This is because it acknowledges the violation of confidentiality and privacy and takes responsibility for it. Additionally, corrective actions can help prevent similar incidents in the future.
7. Does your choice take into consideration all of the persons involved and the consequences to each of them?
Yes, my choice takes into consideration all the persons involved and the consequences to each of them. The patient and the family receive an apology and corrective action, which restores their trust in the healthcare system. The healthcare professionals are trained and informed about confidentiality and privacy, preventing similar incidents in the future.
8. If the worst-case scenario would occur based on your choice, could you live with your decision?
Yes, I would be able to live with my decision as it aligns with ethical principles and is in the patient’s best interest.
9. Based on your choice, what is your plan of action?
Based on my choice, my plan of action would involve the following:
a) Meeting with the patient and family and offering an apology for the mishandling of their medical information.
b) Identifying the cause of the incident and taking corrective actions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
c) Providing training to the healthcare professionals on confidentiality and privacy and educating them on how to prevent such incidents.
d) Monitoring procedures to track each point of access of the patient’s database.
e) Implementing stricter access control measures, such as two-factor authentication, to prevent unauthorized access.
10. What types of monitoring procedures would you develop?
The monitoring procedures that I would develop include tracking each point of access of the patient’s database, including who entered the data, and generating regular reports highlighting any unauthorized access attempts.
11. What would you include in your sanctions for violations policy?
The sanctions for violations policy would include disciplinary actions against healthcare professionals, including suspension, termination, or revocation of privileges. Additionally, legal action could be taken against any individual found guilty of violating confidentiality and privacy laws.
12. How would you address the following?
a) Tracking each point of access of the patient’s database including who entered the data
I would implement access control measures that restrict access to the patient’s database and maintain a log of every individual who enters the data. This log would be regularly monitored to identify any unauthorized access attempts.
b) Nurses in your hospital have an access code that only gives them access to their Unit’s patients. A visitor accidentally comes to the wrong unit looking for a patient and asks the nurse to find out what unit the patient is on.
The nurse should inform the visitor that they do not have access to that information and redirect them to the hospital’s front desk. The hospital should also conduct regular training sessions for the nursing staff to educate them about confidentiality and privacy and how to handle such situations.
