Chapter 1 was thrilling as it talked about several issues related to practice management programs and the application of electronic health records. Practice management programs are used in the circles of finance and administrative functions in a medical office. Electronic health records are systematic processes of collecting population and patient data and storing it in a digital format. EHR ensures that the data is retrieved fast and is always available to physicians when they need it. Security is also another primary reason why EHRs were introduced in health facilities (Häyrinen, Saranto, & Nykänen, 2008). Chapter 2 was all about the medical records that are available in various health organizations. It has looked at some of the laws that direct the use of medical records. It has also looked at various entities that are supposed to be complied with by health facilities. For legal purposes, the medical records can be used by physicians who wish to defend their positions when accused by patients that they did not treat them as required. They are also used to prove that the professional liabilities were met and to ensure that appropriate documentation was used in the process of treatment. The latter follows directions given by entities such as HITECH and HIPAA.
I think that the articles are beneficial as they show what happens in health facilities today. They entail essential information about medical records and how they can be applied in modern days. Firstly, I learned that one must always employ the Privacy rule when using medical records. It applies when using financial statements and patient records. I also learned that the rule here allows various people in a health care facility to gain access to multiple forms of health information depending on the needs and where it supposed to be used. HIPAA also requires all individuals to safeguard all types of data that belong to the organization.
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HIPAA was developed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of health systems in the US. In line with that, I learned that there is a security rule which mandates several entities in health facilities. For instance, the technical safeguard standards include control of audits, access to various forms of data, integrity, verification, and authentication, among others. There are also physical and administrative safeguards, which also ensure that everything runs smoothly in health facilities. In case there is a breach; there is a rule that should be followed. The person who is reporting is supposed to describe and give accurate dates of what transpired, describe the unsecured information that was involved in the breach, future ways of protection, description of all faulty parties and contact information for medical officers who could be having some concerns or question (Sanderson, 2012).
Before the lesson, I was not aware that there was a specific way of reporting a breach of information systems in healthcare. I thought that one would write a report and forward it to the superiors to find ways of solving. It appears that everyone has a role to play in healthcare. The two chapters have some impact on practical applications of medical incentives. From the lesson, I have learned that even if I work in a facility that deploys electrical health records, it is upon me to ensure that all records are kept safely. i should follow the technical, administrative, and physical standards outlined by HIPAA. In case some information is breached, I am supposed to follow various guidelines while reporting the breach.
References
Häyrinen, K., Saranto, K., & Nykänen, P. (2008). Definition, structure, content, use and impacts of electronic health records: a review of the research literature. International journal of medical informatics , 77 (5), 291-304.
Sanderson, S. (2012). Practice management and EHR (1st ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
