Confidentiality of Health Information, Hit 109
Confidentiality of Health Information, HIT 109
Research Project Number: 40903400
In the American Medical Associations or AMA website under the, “ AMA Code of Medical Ethics, Opinion 5.07” a number of important issues are discussed regarding the confidentiality of medical records on computers. The information in computers is a vital point when it comes to confidentiality and the issues discussed are used to in order to maintain, organized and ensure the confidentiality of medical information. I will discuss a number the issue’s that were presented on the website on the confidentiality of computer based medical records.
The AMA makes it clear that changes in computer based data should be made by authorized personal only (AMA). They go on further to explain that corrections and changes should be dated and time stamped by these authorized personnel (AMA). The patient should be advised of computerized databases containing medical information about them prior to the physician releasing medical information about the patients to the entity or entities maintaining the databases (AMA). When this data becomes archaic or inaccurate the patient should be notified before and after the information has been purged (AMA). It is also important that the physicians computerized patient records and other computer service bureau client records should not be mixed (AMA).
The AMA further discusses issues related confidentiality with the online functions of a computer. It is extremely important that computerized medical database should be online to the computer terminal only when authorized computer programs requiring the medical data are being used (AMA). It is also extremely important, that organizations and individuals outside the facility should not be allowed online access to a computerized data base containing identifiable data from medical records concerning patients (AMA). When a computer bureau seeks to erase records it is also important the erasure should be verified by the
Research Project Number: 40903400
In the American Medical Associations or AMA website under the, “ AMA Code of Medical Ethics, Opinion 5.07” a number of important issues are discussed regarding the confidentiality of medical records on computers. The information in computers is a vital point when it comes to confidentiality and the issues discussed are used to in order to maintain, organized and ensure the confidentiality of medical information. I will discuss a number the issue’s that were presented on the website on the confidentiality of computer based medical records.
The AMA makes it clear that changes in computer based data should be made by authorized personal only (AMA). They go on further to explain that corrections and changes should be dated and time stamped by these authorized personnel (AMA). The patient should be advised of computerized databases containing medical information about them prior to the physician releasing medical information about the patients to the entity or entities maintaining the databases (AMA). When this data becomes archaic or inaccurate the patient should be notified before and after the information has been purged (AMA). It is also important that the physicians computerized patient records and other computer service bureau client records should not be mixed (AMA).
The AMA further discusses issues related confidentiality with the online functions of a computer. It is extremely important that computerized medical database should be online to the computer terminal only when authorized computer programs requiring the medical data are being used (AMA). It is also extremely important, that organizations and individuals outside the facility should not be allowed online access to a computerized data base containing identifiable data from medical records concerning patients (AMA). When a computer bureau seeks to erase records it is also important the erasure should be verified by the
References: American Medical Association, AMA. “Code of Medical Ethics, Opinion 5.07-Confidentiality: Computers. Issued prior to April 1977; updated June 1994 and 1998. Viewed January 7, 2011. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code- medical-ethics/opinion507.shtml