The use of information systems in healthcare has been a popular undertaking. Public Health Informatics Institute provides the needed information regarding the use of information systems in the healthcare sector. There care information systems are used to solve a myriad of activities. There are various processes that need to be undertaken and therefore need automation. There are complex and simple information systems that are used to undertake these processes.
The Public Health Informatics Institute deals with different policies in this field. One issue that this institute has had to deal with is regarding security of information in the information systems. With the use of information systems, there is the issue of security which must be looked into. This institute has dealt with information security policy by having a policy where audit of information systems that are used in healthcare is undertaken. This is believed to help to rid any loopholes that might be available in the information systems which are used in the healthcare systems. The policy issues regarding security are handled by reviewing this aspect from time to time. With information technology being a radical field, it requires that review of the policies existing is looked into from time to time. The institute also ensures that the systems have password which are changed from time to time. The information systems should be able to log off automatically.
The other issue regarding policies in information systems that has had to be handled by the institute is that of user experience. The policy issue that requires that the users have a good and better way in which they use the system in healthcare. The information system should be simple to be used and should be easier to learn. This policy is a requirement for all information systems which are developed to be used and utilized in different healthcare setups. The Public Health Informatics Institute addresses this by extensively ensuring that all the user requirements and needs are analyzed. They ensure that the user requirements stage of collecting user information for the system is collected and assessed before any information system is developed. They address this issue by first understanding the users and what they need. They ensure that the users are the drivers of the development of information systems.
Another policy that needs to be addressed is that of access control. This is a requirement that is needed for all health information systems. The Public Health Informatics Institute addresses this issue by ensuring that all users of the systems are categorized according to their levels of use in the information system. This will help to give access rights to the health information systems users according to their levels of interactions. After getting the categories, they will understand the security and access rights that each category of users will require.
People authentication is another standard that has been set. With this standard, the institute ensures that all information systems automatically prompt system users for password change after a fixed period of time. This is an issue that has helped to curb people stealing passwords that are used by impostors. This policy requires that people who are using information systems should be the people they claim they are. With this proof, it will be hard to maintain security. This is an important policy and the institute has taken all the measures to ensure that this is done.
References
Boxerman, S., & Austin, A. (2009). Information systems for healthcare management (7th ed.). Chicago: Health Administration Press.
Cluj-Napoca, J. (2009). Advancements of Medicine and Healthcare through technology. International Conference (pp. 23-26). Romania: Cengage.
Green, J., & Tones, K. (2010). Health promotion: Planning and Strategies. SAGE Publications.
Joos, I. M., & Smith, M. (2010). Introduction to computers for healthcare professionals. New Jersey: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
