Security Breach Case Study HCS/ 533 Nichole Sims October 7th, 2013 Lori Koepsel Security Breach Case Study Securing patient information, privacy, and security within a health care organization is essential to the daily operations. The administration at St. John’s Hospital takes pride in its sound policies and procedures for the protection of confidential client information. In fact, it serves as a model for other institutions in the area; however, printouts discarded in the restricted-access Information Systems department are not shredded. On numerous occasions, personnel working late have observed the cleaning staff reading discarded printouts that hold protected health information. St. John’s Hospital took immediate action towards the cleaning staff as well as the information systems administration team to ensure this type of breach, or others do not happen again in the future.
Patient confidentiality is one of the most important aspects of a medical office or facility. Not only does it keep the employees and the facility itself free from law suit and/or repercussion, it gains the trust of the incoming patients. The diligence and the carefulness of the employees in the medical office are the key to keeping records secure. There are many different steps that I would take to ensure the information of the patients that enter the facility I am employed in is kept secure and confidential. First and foremost I would take extra precaution to ensure my computer screen and patient files weren’t visible to other patients.
This can alleviate their stress about tests that might involve threatening diseases. Having all medications labeled in containers will reduce medication errors for patients. This will help health care providers to see what is in each container, syringe and vial at all times. This goal is a crucial one in keeping medication errors to a minimum (The Joint commission, 2011). A vital area need for infection control is ensuring hand hygiene guidelines are strictly followed.
These are all things we expect to get when we visit the doctor as this is why we go there. However the biomedical model also puts some less obvious guidelines in place for doctors and other medical professionals to work to. For instance no blame should be attached to the patient who comes for help, no matter what the condition and that the cause of any illness is biological and only biological. It is these guidelines which make the biomedical model so affective when treating patients directly for their illness. Some of the main benefits of using these guidelines and the biomedical model however can be more easily seen when looking at an infection like HIV and AIDS.
This next principle is “A pharmacist respects the autonomy and dignity of each patient” (American Pharmacists Association). A pharmacist is to allow patients make initial decisions when it comes to medical decisions. The patients must be able to be aware of the complications and risks that occur when taking the specific type of medications. Though these are not all eight principle, the main points and values consumed by the pharmacist are present. Though each principle is a part of the code of ethics, there are flaws to them as well.
Double billing still occurs to this day even though great measures were taken in the past to help reduce this mistake. Double billing occurs if it has been coded in two different ways. Human error and system stability are the main causes of this error. The purpose of the National Correct Coding Initiative is to make sure that the one procedure performed on the named person is the same date of service, the same doctor or physician listed, or the services being provided are also
The Importance of Proper Chart Documentation Introduction One of the most important things you will do in your job in the healthcare profession is charting. Charting is the way healthcare professionals communicate a patient’s weight, height, condition, medication, and past medical history. As soon as you walk in a doctor’s office, hospital, or any medical facility charting begins from the moment you sign in. Only healthcare professionals that are certified, licensed, or registered to chart should do so. There are three reasons proper chart documentations are important: to avoid lawsuits, keep accurate medical information for patient, and to maintain proper communication from one professional to another.
While this might sound easy, proper documentation requires diligence by everyone involved as this data provides critical information for tracking processed instruments to the patient and assessing the reliability of the sterilization process. Sterilization documentation is used when instruments need to be recalled in the healthcare facility and determining the reason for a sterilization process failure. Documentation provides a permanent record that you’ve done everything you said you did, from cleaning to sterilization to instrument distribution. Simply put, documentation established accountability. An important aspect of quality control, this part of documentation or record keeping documents each item or instrument that is processed, assists in proper stock rotation, establishes accountability, and assists with recalls.
Project 1 There are many confidentiality, privacy and security issues that relate to working as a medical receptionist in a medical practice. It is very important to have a senior person to oversee all administrative functions. A senior person will outline the tasks your job entails and will teach you the practice’s policies and procedures. They will teach you how to access patient records and how to know what information is relevant to your work. A senior person will also check your work and will be there for guidance if any conflict of interest occurs.
Unit3 Health, Safety and Security in Health and Social Care P2-M1 In this assignment I will be talking about the different types of legislations and why they are important. Health and safety at a workplace is important because it ensures that all workers are being protected, it is also important because workers are being protected from illness and if they have become ill because of work the health and safety at work act 1974 can make sure a risk assessment is taken so hat other workers stay safe and the same thing does not happen again. Health and safety at work act 1974 is an act that covers everyone such as employees, employers and the service user. Within this act they provide training for workers, students and anyone that is on a placement or someone that is doing voluntary work this legislation has been helping people and workers for 30years. This act has helped people save their lives and be able to carry on working; this act covers people in the UK for example England, Wales and Northern Ireland.