In today’s times, where accessibility has become the signifier of progress, transferring information from one device to another has become the preferred form of data sharing for various industries and organizations. The complex issue of data protection for patient information has become a complicated issue, as the public demand for faster connection speeds are in conflict with how these connections are prone to attacks and security leaks.
Patient information is a sensitive matter that should be protected, as not all patients are comfortable with publicly sharing their medical condition. The exposure or leak of a person’s medical information can lead to potential abuse caused by malicious parties if the data isn’t adequately protected.
The importance of healthcare information systems
To address the modern challenge of handling patients’ medical privacy, a subcategory of health care administration has given birth to health information management courses. Students who apply to advanced technical courses are given the appropriate skill sets in managing patient information in today’s digital age.
Protecting a patient’s data
It’s essential to know what the different types of patient information contain to have a greater understanding of the importance of keeping patient data safe. The two types are as follows:
Protected Health Information
The most sensitive data about a person’s medical history falls under the Protected Health Information (PHI). Through the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, PHI is defined as information on a person’s medical record, which is used to identify an individual in being provided a health care service. Data ranges from blood test results to billing information, to even a doctor’s personal email.
De-identified Health information
De0 Identified health information has less protection as they’re considered to be more general information as it can’t directly identify an individual patient. Examples of de-identified health information are heart readings and calorie loss. These types of information are mostly used for routine check-ups or test trials that require test subjects to sign a confidentiality form that prevents experimenters from publishing any personal information besides the results of the test in gathering data.
As we move forward into the digital age, most forms and test results are either presented through a digital format or digitally converted and archived to a hospital’s servers. With the modern method of creating, sending, and editing of this data, the danger of infiltration into this digital space makes for a compelling argument to increase the level of protection with these assets.
Integrating modern healthcare courses
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services established the HIPAA Privacy Rule to set a national standard in protecting an individual’s right to privacy of their medical information. The goal is to keep the sensitive patient information protected, while at the same time allowing health care providers to perform their work without compromising the information that they receive.
Understanding Health Information Management
Health Information Management graduates allow for an in-depth look into the complex concepts of HR in how to curate, organize, and handle sensitive patient information effectively. Besides the technical knowledge of processing these data on digital formats, they’re also educated on the legal implications of mishandling information and the techniques in risk management in the healthcare industry.
Conclusion
Data privacy is becoming a more significant issue, with organizations and institutions growing wary over the advancements on connectivity and customer privacy. Having more healthcare professionals who are informed and educated on this issue allows them to mitigate the risks that come with the mismanagement of sensitive patient data.
Keeping up to date with the medical industry gives you a new perspective on how the healthcare industry is facing the challenges of contemporary issues.
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