agreen_Protecting Electronic Health Information_10292023
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School
Rasmussen College *
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Course
HSA1146
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
3
Uploaded by ChiefMetal2239
1
MEMORANDUM
To: All Employees
From: Aaleya Green
Date: October 29, 2023
Subject: Protecting Electronic Health Information
I'm writing this memo to address some critical issues that have lately come up in our office
and to emphasize how crucial it is to safeguard electronic health records. As we transition
from paper to electronic health records, it is important to comprehend and abide by the
regulations set out by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and
the principles of patient confidentiality.
The Importance of HIPAA and Patient Confidentiality
Enacted at the federal level, HIPAA was designed to safeguard patient health information
privacy and security. Safeguarding patient privacy is our moral and legal obligation. In
addition to having serious legal consequences, breaches of patient confidentiality could
damage our healthcare organization's reputation for dependability and credibility. Patient
confidentiality is something we must always be committed to protecting.
Why Individual Login Information Should Not Be Shared
Sharing login information is strictly forbidden as it jeopardizes patient confidentiality. To
ensure responsibility, every staff member is provided with their unique login details.
Revealing these credentials can result in data breaches and unauthorized access. Everyone
needs to use their login credentials, and these should never be shared with outside parties.
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Additionally, shared logins make it extremely difficult to determine who has viewed a
particular record, making it more challenging to investigate any potential security breaches.
Methods to Protect Patient Information
●
Log Out Before Leaving Your Workstation:
Whenever you step away from your
computer, make sure to log out of the system. This guarantees that unauthorized
people cannot access patient information.
●
Use Strong Passwords:
Make sure your passwords are complicated, one-of-a-kind,
and contain a mix of uppercase, lowercase, and unusual characters. To improve
security, change your password frequently.
●
Data Encryption:
When transmitting sensitive patient data, use encryption
techniques to safeguard it.
●
Access Control:
You should only access patient data that is required for your work.
Do not peruse patient records out of interest or curiosity.
●
Physical Security:
Ensure that physical access to your workstation is restricted to
authorized personnel only.
In conclusion, we all have a role to play in upholding the strictest standards of patient
confidentiality. Protecting electronic health information is a shared obligation. Failing to do
so puts our patients' trust in us at risk in addition to endangering our organization.
Thank you for your dedication to maintaining the standards of HIPAA compliance and
safeguarding patient privacy. Should you have any inquiries or apprehensions about the
security of patient data, please feel free to contact our IT team or the HIPAA compliance
officer without delay.
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Sincerely,
Aaleya Green
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