Privacy and Security
The HIPAA privacy and security rules provide federal protection for individually identifiable health information. Consider a physician practice that is transitioning from being paper based to electronic medical records. The receptionist area contains both hanging folders and the desktop computer on which the practice management system runs. During the transition, a patient’s health information (valued asset) will exist in two states: on paper in a hanging folder and in an electronic record on a computer.
- Identify and evaluate the risks for each state in terms of:
- Threats
- Vulnerabilities
- Probability of a breach (low, medium, or high).
- In your answer include a discussion of authentication, integrity, and accountability.
Guided response: Your initial post should be a minimum of 200-250 words.
- Utilize a minimum of two scholarly sources, excluding the textbook.
- Sources should be cited in APA format, as outlined in the Writing Center.
- You must respond to at least two of your classmate’s posts by Day 7.
- Your three required posts must be on three different days of the week.
- After reading other initial posts, what are some other actions that would resolve privacy and security issues during the transition from paper to electronic health records.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The transition from paper-based to electronic medical records is a complex process that requires careful consideration to ensure the privacy and security of patients’ health information. In this assignment, we will evaluate the risks associated with each state of patient health information and discuss the importance of authentication, integrity, and accountability. We will also explore potential solutions to address privacy and security issues during the transition.
Answer:
Threats, vulnerabilities, and the probability of a breach can vary for patient health information in its paper-based and electronic forms during the transition from paper-based to electronic medical records.
The threats associated with paper-based health information are different from those of electronic health information. Paper-based health information faces threats such as theft or loss, unauthorized access, and inappropriate disposal, among others. Electronic health information, on the other hand, faces threats such as hacking, malware and virus attacks, hardware and software failure, and unauthorized access, among others.
Vulnerabilities of paper-based health information include inadequate security controls, the ease of access, and weak accountability. For electronic health information, vulnerabilities include inadequate security measures such as weak passwords, lack of firewalls and antivirus software, and inadequate access controls, among others.
The probability of a breach can be low or high, depending on the security measures in place. The probability of a breach in paper-based health information is relatively low compared to electronic health information. However, the probability of a breach in electronic health information can be mitigated by implementing stringent security measures such as access controls, authentication, and encryption.
Authentication, integrity, and accountability are essential in ensuring the privacy and security of patient health information during the transition. Authentication ensures that only authorized personnel can access patient health information. Integrity ensures that the information is complete, accurate and unchanged. Accountability ensures that every action taken on the health information is traced and monitored to prevent unauthorized access.
In conclusion, during the transition from paper-based to electronic medical records, it’s crucial to evaluate the risks associated with each state of patient health information, implement stringent security measures such as access control, authentication, integrity, and accountability.
