In Module Three, you learned about data dictionaries and MPIs that are
used to support the consistency, uniformity, and aggregation of data. In this
module, you will turn your attention to the legal and ethical standards
surrounding the exchange of patient data.
In the process of sharing patient information across providers and entities,
it is essential to ensure that proper safeguards are in place to regulate
access to information and provide the appropriate level of security. There
are many challenges for moving healthcare information through an
electronic exchange system. These include having unique user
identification, protecting consumer privacy, limiting access to what is
absolutely necessary for each authorized individual, evaluating audit trails,
restricting sensitive information, and implementing patient consent and
authorization protocols. Plans to mitigate and govern these risks are
imperative for successful HIE programs. Additionally, ethical considerations
must be applied to inform strategy formation and decision making.
Enhanced portability and accessibility of patient information brings about
questions concerning who really owns the data, how to control for privacy
breaches, and how to protect against unauthorized disclosures of protected
health information (PHI). Furthermore, it brings up questions of when
secondary, for-profit entities want access to the data, when is this
appropriate and justifiable, and what safeguards must be applied.
In your discussion for this module, you will analyze the legal and ethical
implications of a security breach in HIE. You will also examine the steps in
the information life cycle.
