Computer Sciences and Information Technology
Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security
The State HIE Cooperative Agreement Program grantees are required to monitor and track statewide implementation, adoption, and transactions of exchange mechanisms that they implement directly or enable through funding, technical Helpance, marketplaces, etc. to support the meaningful use of health information technology. Research the current state of HIE across the United States through the link below and provide a response summarizing your findings related to your state of residence. Provide a summary of your findings and any insights you have gained in the review of the information.
https://www.healthit.gov/topic/onc-hitech-programs/state-health-information-exchange
Must include 1 biblical integration and 2 peer-reviewed sources
Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security
The transfer and sharing of health information and records among different medical institutions is a sensitive aspect that can be done through the state Health Information Exchange (HIE) Cooperative Agreement Program for efficiency and effectiveness. The exchange of medical information is a sensitive issue that needs to be with high regard for confidentiality, privacy, and security. Medical information and records need to be protected prom landing in the wrong hands because such an event can result in legal conflicts, mistrust, or make the owners of such information vulnerable. The adoption of the HIE cooperative program enhances the operation of health information technology since it monitors, tracks, national implementation adoption, and transaction of exchange mechanisms that enhances funding and technical operation in the medical field.
Operations of HIE
The HIE program enhances the quality and effectiveness of medical operations by enabling the access and sharing of patient medical records through the computer and network system. HIE operates through the standardization of processes and practices (Dullabh et al., 2013). The uniform data is integrated into the user electronic health records (EHR) to build a personalized body of health records. This makes it possible to classify patients based on their ailments and conditions. Results from the lab can be shared among different departments based on their function in relation to the patient ailments. Consequences, the operation of HIE is implemented in different forms that include direct exchange, Question Assignment-based exchange, consumer mediated exchanges. This approach ensures that health care providers improve the quality and safety of healthcare and create a feedback loop between medical practitioners, institutions, and other related parties in the interest of the patients.
Objectives of the HIE program
The state HIE program has different objectives and goals to meet in the medical field for both the patients and medical practitioners. In this regard, the HIE system is in a position to develop and implement updated privacy and security requirements for effective decision making (Adler, Bates, and Jha, 2013). HIE ensures that medical institutions coordinate with public health programs such as Medicaid. The integrated approach ensures sufficient funding and availability of support operations. HIE enhances the monitoring and tracking of HIE capabilities and the establishment of gaps in the operation. This approach ensures that the maximum capacity of HIE is achieved, and strategies are made to fill the identified gaps. Additionally, the HIE aims at achieving high levels of consistency coupled with national standards to achieve uniformity and success in medical operations.
Safety of information under the HIE program
The HIPAA requires medical records and information to observe high levels of security in the interest of the patient. In this regard, HIE programs adopt privacy measures, security procedures, and policies to safeguard health information. First, HIE ensures that devices used and systems met the necessary security procedures and policies (Kuperman, 2011). This fact ensures that data sharing is conducted using secure devices. Consequently, participants under the HIE program are required to sign trust agreements. The agreement defines parties that can access and exchange data as well as the observation of security and privacy policies in the course of sharing medical records. Furthermore, encryption of data on transit is made to ensure that data is exchanged and transmitted from one place to the other is not altered or interfered with in the course of transmission.
Conclusion
The adoption of HIE programs ensures that the exchange and sharing of data are done within safe and secure platforms. Health information is sensitive and is subject to being hacked or interfered with, and the adoption of the HIE program ensures safety. Therefore, the adoption of HIE increases the effectiveness and efficiency of medical operations and functions.
References
Adler-Milstein, J., Bates, D. W., & Jha, A. K. (2013). Operational health information exchanges show substantial growth, but long-term funding remains a concern. Health Affairs, 32(8), 1486-1492.
Dullabh, P., Hovey, L., Ubri, P., Catterson, R. S., & Jha, A. (2013). Assessment of the state health information exchange cooperative agreement program.
Kuperman, G. J. (2011). Health-information exchange: why are we doing it, and what are we doing?. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 18(5), 678-682.
