Nowadays, the use of information systems in the management of health institutions has become a common phenomenon due to immense benefits that come with the automation of the healthcare. According to Melnyk (2012) healthcare information system plays a significant role in enhancing evidence-based care. The use of the Electronic Health Records has been critical in the improvement of medical outcomes through the reduction of medical errors. Also, EHR helps in enhancing the accessibility of the health information. Despite the enormous benefits that come with the integration of technology in health management, Bertino et al. (2015) reiterates that Healthcare information systems have been facing a significant security threat in the recent past.
According to the Melnyk (2012), storage of data in electronic form has raised security concerns about the patient's privacy, safety and health. Healthcare Information Systems are endangered by both deliberate actions threats and accidental events; that can severely jeopardize the HIS reliability and as a result, discouraging the future use of technology in the management of health. Some of the security threats while using Electronic health records include viruses, physical damage, unauthorized access and crime.
Furthermore, inadequate protection strategies in sustaining the integrity, confidentiality and access to patients’ data have seen medical information landing into wrong hands. Besides that, many health organizations have inadequate security structures that make their Healthcare information systems vulnerable to unscrupulous persons. Many health professionals also lack awareness about the importance of maintaining the security of the patients’ data. Bertino et al. (2015) allude opines that health practitioners have to undertake a mandatory training in the Healthcare information system so as to enhance validity and the reliability of the Electronic health records.
A study by Katt (2014) classified Healthcare Information Systems threats into two broad categories, that is, external threats and the internal threats. Internal security threats include different type’s employees’ behaviors like ignorance, recklessness, giving a password to other unauthorized employees and curiosity. On the other hand, external threats include spyware attacks, viruses, intruders to the health premises and hackers.
Power failure is one of the leading security threats of the HIS. Also, human errors like the erroneous entry of data present a severe threat to the integrity and the confidentiality of medical information. Technological obsolescence may also cause a security risk if a health system uses an outdated hardware’s and software’s can lead to the generation of unreliable data that may pose a security threat.
Health Information Security
Information security in the healthcare entails the protection of data and information systems from unauthorized use, access, disruptions, destruction and modification. For healthcare information security to be achieved, it is imperative for the stakeholders in the medical sector to ensure that the confidentiality, availability and the integrity are guaranteed.
As noted by Bertino et al. (2015) confidentiality is a very fundamental ethical behavior that all healthcare providers must adhere to. Confidentiality of the patients’ data ensures that the Electronic health information is not available to or disclosed to in an unauthorized manner. Nurses should be given training on work ethics so as to enhance the security of the patients’ data.
The integrity of the health information system is critical to improving healthcare safety. Health institutions have to develop initiatives that ensure that Electronic health data is not destroyed or altered in an authorized manner either by internal or external forces. Securing of the electronic health information starts with the formulation of the health security policy, planning and training of the nurses so as to enhance efficiency. In the United States, for example, the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2009 has provisions that ensure that the integrity and security of the patients’ health information are guaranteed.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health information is mandated by the Affordable Healthcare Act to set regulations for the certification of the EHRs. According to Melnyk (2012), the Affordable Healthcare Act also requires the health care providers to establish administrative, physical and technological safeguards for the protection of the Electronic health information. Some of the security safeguards include the access controls that require the use of passwords to limit the access to medical information.
Encrypting is another phenomenon that is critical to ensuring that health data cannot be read or understood by unauthorized persons. An Audit trial which provides information about people who accessed the medical information and the changes made is significant in enhancing the security of the patient’s data. Furthermore, the federal law requires doctors to notify the patient if anyone breaches his medical information. This strategy is critical in making care providers accountable (Katt, 2014).
Healthcare information security can be enhanced through constant reviewing of the existing security policies and establish new policy statements that address the new risks that come with the advancements in technology. The new policy statements should state clearly who can have access to the patients’ data and clarify when and how electronic health data is shared to other health care entities.
Additionally, it’s imperative to update the new healthcare security information into the organization's practice to mitigate the new security risks to the Electronic health records. This strategy will help in keeping the Healthcare information system updated thus reducing the likelihood of hacking into the system by dishonest persons.
The topic on threats to healthcare information technology is significant in the planning and the implementation of the health management information system. The topic equips the healthcare practitioners’ with the knowledge on how to adequately select tools and solutions that will help in the implementation of the security policies.
Also, Knowledge from the topic is critical since it helps in the planning and the implementation of the administrative safeguards. As noted by Katt (2014) administrative safeguards entail policies that help in the protection of the HIS security, confidentiality and privacy. The administrative safeguards include training of the care providers, identification of the relevant health information systems, development of a risk assessment program and allocation of adequate resources. Risk assessment of unauthorized use and disclosure is a critical step in the overall plan of maintaining of the safety of the HIS.
Adequate knowledge on threats to healthcare information systems will also help in ensuring the planning and the implementation of the physical safeguards. In this strategy, care providers develop measures that guarantee the safety of the hardware and the facilities that stores patient health information.
On the other hand, the implementation of technological advancements is critical in limiting the access to patient’s data by unauthorized persons. The implementation of technological safeguard policies includes the development of the access and audit controls. Other technological safeguards the can be implemented through the study of the topic include integrity.Katt (2014) opines that the development of the entry authentication safeguards whereby the system have mechanisms for verifying the authenticity of the person accessing the patients' health information will can help in protecting the healthcare information system from both intended and unintended disclosure and use of patients data.
References
Bertino, E., Deng, R. H., Huang, X., & Zhou, J. (2015). Security and privacy of electronic health information systems. International Journal of Information Security, 14(6), 485-486. doi:10.1007/s10207-015-0303-z
Katt, B. (2014). A Comprehensive Overview of Security Monitoring Solutions for E-Health Systems. 2014 IEEE International Conference on Healthcare Informatics. doi:10.1109/ichi.2014.59
Melnyk, B. M. (2012). The Role of Technology in Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice, Education, Healthcare Quality, and Patient Outcomes: A Call for Randomized Controlled Trials and Comparative Effectiveness Research. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 9(2), 63-65. doi:10.1111/j.1741-6787.2012.00245.x
