Testing Using Electronic Transmission Systems

However, following vendors begin using EMR, electronic prescriptions and online communications, protected health information is available for various clinical and administrative positions throughout the day. Although the level of security and privacy are interchangeable terms, it is the standard security dominates HIPAA compliance regarding EMR.

Perhaps the most important piece of legislation relevant to our understanding of security risks surrounding EMR and health information technology is The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which was signed into law in 1996 by the Clinton administration. HIPAA impacts the healthcare industry in many ways, but of particular importance – at least for our purposes of understanding security risks surrounding EMR – is HIPAA’s security rule, which governs how providers must protect private health information during the process of adopting and implementing new health information technology such as EMR. HIPAA requires “covered entities” to take reasonable measures to protect electronic private health information. HIPAA is vitally important to our understanding of EMR risks because providers can face harsh penalties if found in violation of HIPAA.

The federal requires the healthcare organizations to adopt and demonstrate the use of electronic medical records (EMR) or the electronic health records (EHR). They contain patient’s medical history and it

Practices using EHR systems accredited by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and

One of the issues with the electronic systems in health care for MU is the ability to retrieve laboratory results during a patient’s visit. In 2013, Hinrichs and Zarcone reveal that over 70% of medical decisions are determined by laboratory results. In 2007, AU Health implemented Cerner Millennium PowerChart that displays clinical data to improve the point of care for patients. With the PowerChart solution, the patient’s information can be easily verified, vital signs can be entered, and family history can be updated. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed by President Obama in 2013 places emphasis on expanding insurance coverage of medical care for everyone. As part of the ACA, the improvements in the way these results are exchanged and transmitted will add value to quality, safety, efficiency of health information (Hinrichs & Zarcone, 2013). The transmission and availability of EHR affect how other health professionals send and receive information at the local, state, and national levels.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) states that in order to realize meaningful use of the EHR technology, healthcare providers are obliged to apply the technology in a approach that enriches quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare delivery; ebbs healthcare inconsistencies; involves patients and families; enriches care coordination; expands population and public health; and guarantees sufficient privacy and security guards for personal health information. (U.S Department of Health and

Physicians in 1877 were required to report contagious diseases and the city of Chicago began collecting data on its resident’s recording vital statistics and deaths. Over 100 years later as technology progressed, the IDHP used technology in the form of genetic testing of E-Coli samples linked to an outbreak of food poisoning to trace the origin of the disease. Currently, computer technology, aided by the Internet has birthed an enormous amount of data that can help the IDHP and health educators focus on the needs of their city. Data collected by the IDHP provides the footing for developing and implementing public health policies and strategies for disease prevention and promotion. Thru data, a program’s success can be monitored and a communities needs

Health care agencies invest large sums of capital into EMR and in addition, rely upon reimbursement from the Health IT system (for example Medicare and Medicaid). According to Hurdle et al., (2007), the American Medical Informatics Association [AMIA] Code of Ethics, “patients have the right to know about the existence of electronic records containing personal biomedical data” (p. 391). In addition a patient has the right to expect that “biomedical data are maintained in a safe, reliable, secure, and confidential environment that is consistent with applicable law, local policies, and accepted informatics processing standards” (p. 392).

1) My hospital initiated this program back in 1999. We also participate in the Statement Immunization Information System (SISS) program. We use this system to check or update vaccination records for our patients. All of our charting is done electronically. This is beneficial because any member of the healthcare team can access a patient’s record from anywhere in the hospital. Any information updated on our end can then be accessed by another provider whom also uses an EHR system. This allows each member of the healthcare team to collaborate, reduce medical errors, minimize medication interactions, and decrease medical costs. All of our patients, are educated on the EHR system that we use from the moment they check in on admission. Throughout their stay, they are instructed on how to access it and how to use it. Upon discharge, they are given an EHR packet and are encouraged to capitalize on all that the program has to offer from the comfort of their own homes.

An Electronic Health Record is a computerized form of a patient’s medical chart. These records allow information to be readily available to authorized providers during a patient’s encounter with the healthcare system. These systems do not only contain medical histories, current medications and insurance information, they also track patients’ diagnoses, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images and lab tests/results (source). The fundamental aspect of EHRs is that they are able to share a patient’s information quickly across service lines and even between different healthcare organizations. Information is at the fingertips of lab techs, primary care physicians, pharmacies, clinics, etc. The

6. Use certified EHR technology to identify patient-specific education resources and provide to patient, if appropriate

Electronic health records (EHR’s) have many advantages, but there are plenty of disadvantages. EHR’s were created to manage the many aspects of healthcare information. Medical professionals use them daily and most would feel lost without it. Healthcare organizations were encouraged to adopt EHR’s in 2009 due to the fact that a bill passed known as The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). “The HITECH Act outlines criteria to achieve “meaningful use” of certified electronic records. These criteria must be met in order for providers to receive financial incentives to promote adoption of EHRs as an integral part of their daily practice”, (Conrad, Hanson, Hasenau & Stocker-Schneider, 2012).

Technology has influenced public health preparedness and emergencies in a number of ways. One vital advancement, is information technology (IT) infrastructure improvements and modernization that has allowed the creation of the National Alert Network and Laboratory Response Network. This strengthens the ability to report infectious diseases to state level systems so as to conduct surveillance and outbreak investigation and link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Lurie, Wasserman & Nelson, 2006). This advancement in technology fills gaps in the reporting communication networks to and from the CDC to the states.

DLA’s control testing results does not identify a time period for when the controls were assessed.

In addition, calls to the local, regional and central offices may exceed the capacity for timely response; therefore, a public health information center might be established in the central office to centralize communication and respond to the increases in demand for communication with the public and healthcare providers. OEPI epidemiologists (or those from other Offices) may be asked to serve as subject matter experts for the information center, train information center staff, or develop materials to be used