Introduction
Initially, the availability of paper records was restricted to health records. Access to Electronic Health Records and other information systems is now possible anywhere. Subsequently, proper security measures must be implemented to protect data in all three states: data in use, data at rest, and data in motion (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) established a collection of regulations, including privacy and security measures, to guarantee a secure working environment. Controlling and protecting information from accidental or intentional disclosure to unauthorized parties, as well as unauthorized alteration, destruction, or loss, is what security is all about.
Security Measures
Employees can use physical, administrative, and technical security measures in a healthcare setting to ensure data protection. These three mechanisms would ensure protected health information (PHI) security. These controls will govern who has access to information and how it is used. Physical safeguards are protection mechanisms for office hardware, software, and data. For instance, they protect health information against fire, flooding, unauthorized hardware access, and theft. Administrative security measures are people-focused and include necessities such as security training, policies, and the assignment of a security officer. Finally, technical safeguards use technology to protect data and control data access (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). It safeguards data against illegal access, damage, or modification.
Security Measure Rationale
Physical Plant and equipment must be safeguarded against both intentional and unintentional destruction. Documentation demonstrating how the covered entity (CE) will implement this protection should be documented. Physical access to electronic information systems must only be restricted to authorized personnel, which can be accomplished through card keys, identification numbers, and biometrics (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). Doctors, for example, should not leave their computers unsupervised because someone could freely sneak in and transfer files from them. The use of video surveillance and CCTV can be used for physical security.
Administrative Measures and Technical Measures
A well-thought-out method for implementing policies must be put in place. Additionally, to meet administrative requirements, administrative measures must cover various topics, including risk analysis and management. Access control systems and authentication are two examples of technical safeguards. Username, password, and biometric identities are used as user identification methods to ensure that only the right person can access the data (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). Furthermore, the user’s actions can be tracked in case of error.
Importance of Data Security
The goals of information security protection are confidentiality, integrity, availability, and access to information systems which can be achieved by keeping data secure. Data security ensures that data remains in its original form and is not tampered with by anyone. Integrity is achieved when the message received is identical to the data before and after transmission or storage, confirming that the data is free of errors or tampering. Confidentiality protects personal and corporate information assets such as patient records, development plans, and work schedules (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). Access to ePHI is restricted to those who require it. No patient information should be disclosed to unauthorized parties. When a system is available, it is not affected by sabotage or breakdown. The ePHI must be available for use or patient care when required.
Role-Based Access
Data is made available to users based on their roles in role-based access. An access control program is aimed at preventing unauthorized use of an information resource. Nurses, for example, would have the same access in Health Information Management (HIM) profession because they perform similar role. Covered entities must identify who can create, view, and modify data and grant or limit access to the appropriate people using access control. The user’s role is associated with specific access right for a given resource (Sayles & Kavanaugh-Burke, 2018). However, individual user rights must be preserved and not be available to other members of the user’s group.
Conclusion
Healthcare systems deal with sensitive information; therefore, unauthorized access or damage to such information could be catastrophic. Proper security preventive measures reduce the risk of security attacks. Even though risks cannot be wholly eliminated, proper use of security measures focuses on minimizing risk from various sources. Overall, HIPAA has created a set of rules to ensure a secure work environment, such as privacy and security policies.
Reference
Sayles, N. B., & Kavanaugh-Burke, L. (2018). Introduction to information systems for health information technology. AHIMA Press.