Objective one
Data integrity to the ability of the data collected to be complete, accurate and consistent. In other words, the data remains unaltered and intact. The health records need to depict such characteristics for they serve a lot of purpose concerning detecting trends which in turn are used to implement policies and guidelines for improving health care practices (Perkins & Schmidt, 2012). The health records are electronic, and so there is need to update the information regularly to ensure accuracy. Therefore, the first policy is to provide the accurate identity of the patients either via their identity cards or driving licenses. The underage (below sixteen years of age) will be accompanied by an adult who can provide the necessary information to identify the young person. Ensuring the correct identity of the patient is the first step to achieving data integrity. This will enable the nurses to open an accurate file with the right information.
The facility should also assign a patient with a unique identifier that would be used every time the same patient visits (McBride, Delaney & Tietze, 2012). This will assist the nurses to ensure that the correct files are updated. The unique identifier could be a code or number that only this person can possess and avoid iteration of any kind. This code should also be the identical to the unique code in the databases to minimize the chances for confusion. Once the identifier for a patient is established, data integrity will be achieved much quickly. Also, before the transition from paper records to the electronic health records (EHR), it is necessary to have such codes that will allow easy retrieval of data while maintaining its accuracy and completeness.
Objective two
“The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health” (HITECH) Act (Galbraith, 2013) was enforced by law in 2009 as a part of the enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Its role was to promote the meaningful use of health information know-how (Galbraith, 2013). This act requires that appropriate data architectural models are used to ensure its integrity. Among the components of the HITECH Act is to improve health care quality, reducing medical errors. This is achievable by providing maximum security of the data to eliminate the probability of data sabotage, loss, and theft or destroyed by viruses. Therefore, the latest antiviruses are installed on the computer servers to ensure that no virus is introduced into the system and cause unintended data losses. Additionally, the access to the data is monitored so that only the authorized parties can access the health records. As a result, unrequired alterations cannot be made, and this can be achieved by using security locks like the biometric scans to the entry of the server rooms.
Apart from data protection to ensure its integrity, the necessary information should be availed to the essential points so as to ensure coordination amongst the hospital entities. The HITECH Act of 2009 requires that information is transferred from one location to another efficiently within the authorized confines. Effective communication between the nodes in the hospital requires a secured network with firewalls that can put off computer hackers (Kennedy & Millard, 2016). This will be handled by the previously discussed aspect of the Act. However, the hospital would require a high-speed network that will ensure that information can be accessed at high bandwidth and with ease (Faust et al., 2011). Therefore, wide network cables with appropriate configurations will be put in place to ensure that there is flawless access to the records faster. An authentic database is also necessary to provide faster access to the health records.
The access to health record is just the first procedure in ensuring that research is prospering in regards. Research and innovation are the next steps in improving the healthcare of the nation. It ensures that there are new ways of managing the diseases and, in turn, improve service delivery to the hospital. Therefore, improved infrastructure is the best step in enhancing research. The access to the records via a fast and safe network allows the researchers to monitor the trends in the disease. Thus, the conditions can be observed concerning their prevalence and incidence. Another aspect of the HITECH Act is serving and improving the public health systems by acting as early warning systems. Indeed, the health records can assess and monitor trends of diseases of public concerns like cholera. An improved infrastructure is, therefore, necessary to implement this aspect. For example, the telephone networks input with the emergency lines is required to facilitate communication in case of a public health emergency (Faust et al., 2011).
A perfectly designed electronic system like a database with various controls that can be used to detect the development of chronic diseases is a necessary step in detecting, preventing and mitigating them. Being part of the HITECH Act, it is necessary that such systems are designed where information on these diseases can be analyzed electronically and assist in preventing their development. Preventing some of these chronic diseases is better than managing them, and it is possible via their risk factors and laboratory values as well (Jacobsen & Juste, 2010).
References
Faust, O., Shetty, R., Sree, S., Acharya, S., Acharya U., R., Ng, E., & Suri, J. (2011). Towards the Systematic Development of Medical Networking Technology. Journal Of Medical Systems, 35(6), 1431-1445. doi:10.1007/s10916-009-9420-4
Galbraith, K. L. (2013). What's So Meaningful about Meaningful Use?. Hastings Center Report, 43(2), 15-17. doi:10.1002/hast.154.
Jacobsen, T., & Juste, F. (2010). Nursing in the era of "meaningful use". Nursing Management, 41(1), 11-13.
McBride, S., Delaney, J. M., & Tietze, M. (2012). Health Information Technology and Nursing. American Journal Of Nursing, 112(8), 36-44.
Kennedy, E., & Millard, C. (2016). Data security and multi-factor authentication: Analysis of requirements under EU law and in selected EU Member States. Computer Law & Security Review, 32(1), 91-110. doi:10.1016/j.clsr.2015.12.004.
Perkins, J., & Schmidt, M. (2012). Meaningful Use: today and tomorrow. MLO: Medical Laboratory Observer, 44(10), 34-36.
