Healthcare Privacy and Security

The issue of patient privacy and security of healthcare data presents a challenge for many organizations. According to authors Deursen, Buchanan, and Duff (2013), it takes a collaborative effort between healthcare personnel, organizations and industry experts to prevent breaches in the security of healthcare information (p. 31). In their article, the authors discuss how these breaches do not come from emerging technologies, as may be expected (Deursen et al., 2013, p. 40). Instead, the biggest challenge to protecting patient information comes from lapses created by the professionals who are charged with protecting the information in the first place.

Breaches in the privacy and security of healthcare data occur following different scenarios. First, this information may be compromised because medical staff fail to follow proper protocol when handling assets containing protected patient information. Problems occur when employees leave assets (such as laptops, or smartphones) unattended, and they are stolen (Deursen et al., 2013, p. 32). This provides the thief with unfettered access to secure information. Next, the information is also compromised when staff members share personal passwords, allowing someone other than the original employee access to private patient information (Deursen et al., 2013, p. 35). Lastly, privacy and security lapses also occur when healthcare personnel fail to follow proper protocol when sending protected information via email. The authors found that many times employees send information to either a wrong email address or to individuals who are not authorized by the patient to receive this information (Deursen et al., 2013, p. 35). In either event, the information is no longer secure or private.

The implications of the article are clear – the greatest risk to the privacy and security of healthcare information still lies with healthcare employees. Although it is certainly important to maintain networks and other nationwide healthcare systems secure from technological breaches, healthcare administrators must address human error to industry maintain “confidentiality, availability, and integrity of health care data” (Deursen et al., 2013, p. 40). Without that level of protection, all other security is rendered useless.

Reference

Deursen, N. V., Buchanan, W. J., & Duff, A. (2013). Monitoring information security risks within health care. Computers & Security, 37, 31-45.