Trends and Security Requirements in Electronic Health Records

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Executive Summary
Sharing patient information electronically, or by any other means, requires some system of
protection to be in place, to ensure the system is able to effectively share necessary data, while
protection patient personal information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Challenges
in sharing electronic patient health information with other providers may occur, when those outside
healthcare organizations utilize different electronic patient record systems or when those outside
systems are not up to data and accurate. In addition, health care organizations must adhere to various
state, local, and Federal regulations, such as HIPAA and ACA.
Trends and Guidelines for Protecting Patient Health Information
HIPAA guidelines require electronic records systems to be secure, through the use of individual
passwords, encryption, and an audit trail (Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil
Rights, 2014). In addition, health care organizations must develop security measure that limit access,
based on the needs for information of the specific user or user groups. Backing up electronic health
records is also necessary, to prevent loss of care continuity, in the event of a natural or other disaster
that destroys the main electronic records system or database. In addition, both Google and Microsoft
offer solutions for individuals to create and store their own personal health records. Individual health
record creation is useful for those who relocate and are unsure if and when they will be requiring
healthcare services in the near future. However, unless someone has access, professional health care
workers may not be able to gather all the necessary information to effectively treat the individual in an
emergency.
Electronic health records systems make it easier to make health care decisions, so providers can
evaluation health conditions, medical history, and test results in one location, without having to access
paper records in different departments or locations. Other health care workers can more efficiently
enter and store patient history and vital signs. Though security requirements appear straightforward,
healthcare organizations face many challenges in maintaining security. Among the potential threats
are unauthorized access to the electronic record system, unofficial altering of patient health data,
hacking into a system and destroying records, or the intrusion of patient health by government and
corporate entities (Nanji, 2009).
Unauthorized access of EMRs can lead to public sharing of private health information that can
jeopardize a person's employment, reputation, and relationships. This doesn't mean such unauthorized
sharing didn't occur prior to development of electronic ...