Assignment Task: Ethics, Cyber Ethics, and Security
In recent years, hackers have targeted medical records, from hospitals and other healthcare institutions, across the country. These records contain personal information, contact information, and most importantly, for the hackers, information that may prove useful in stealing an identity. Thus, healthcare organizations have made it a priority to protect patient records and privacy. However, with the influx of technological advancements and hacker determination, there is no perfect way to ensure that all records are secure and safe.
In addition to medical records, privacy concerns are relevant with any patient chart in any setting. For example, a chart left open on a computer monitor in a patient room, employee passwords and log-in information, and new employee access and screening all represent other ways in which ethics and security merge in healthcare and nursing practice.
For this Discussion, you will consider the importance of ethics as it relates to security. You will also reflect on how these topics might affect clinical practice and the connection to nursing informatics. Need Assignment Help?
Required Readings:
- American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.).
- "Ethics in Nursing Informatics" (pp. 49-52)
- "Standard 6: "Evaluation" (p. 78)
- "Standard 7: "Ethics" (pp. 79-80)
- "Standard 11: "Communication" (p. 86)
- "Standard 12: "Leadership" (pp. 87-88)
- Beckmann, M., Dittmer, K., Jaschke, J., Karbach, U., Köberlein-Neu, J., Nocon, M., Rusniok, C., Wurster, F., & Pfaff, H. (2021). Electronic patient record and its effects on social aspects of interprofessional collaboration and clinical workflows in hospitals (eCoCo): A mixed methods study protocol. BMC Health Services Research, 21 (377).
- Goodman K. W. (2020). Ethics in health informatics. Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 29(1), 26-31.
Required Media:
- TEDx Talks. (2023, July 7). Navigating the AI future of health care | Benjamin Collins | TEDx Vanderbilt University. [Video]. YouTube.
Optional Resources:
- Simplilearn. (2020, June 10). Cyber security in 7 minutes | What is cyber security: How it works? | Cyber security | Simplilearn [Video]. YouTube.
To Prepare:
- Review the Learning Resources associated with the topics of ethics, cyber ethics, and security.
- Consider the role of each of these topics for clinical practice, as well as the importance of understanding each of these topics.
Post a cohesive response to the following:
- What are the key challenges that healthcare practitioners encounter when balancing patient care with the requirement for stringent data protection? How can healthcare organizations ensure patient confidentiality while effectively leveraging digital tools to enhance care delivery?
Read a selection of your colleagues' responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by expanding upon their responses or sharing additional or alternative perspectives.
Respond To This Discussion Post
Martha E
Balancing Patient Care and Data Protection in Clinical Practice
As healthcare becomes more digitized, clinicians face the dual responsibility of delivering efficient care while safeguarding patient health information (PHI). Technologies like electronic health records and telehealth improve access but introduce risks such as unauthorized access and data breaches (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2023). The challenge lies in maintaining confidentiality without compromising timely care.
Key obstacles include role-based access limitations, which may delay treatment, and vulnerabilities to cyberattacks resulting from outdated systems and insufficient staff training (Ibrahim et al., 2024). Additionally, third-party applications and mobile tools may lack compliance with HIPAA standards, placing patient data at risk. Patients also need greater transparency about how their data are used, particularly with emerging technologies such as AI (EasyPractice, n.d.).
To address these challenges, healthcare organizations must implement encryption, access controls, and data masking protocols while embedding Privacy by Design into IT systems (Ibrahim et al., 2024). Regular staff training and transparent communication with patients are essential to build trust and prevent errors. Innovative technologies like blockchain can further enhance PHI security. Al Amin et al. (2024) highlight how smart contracts can ensure data is accessed only by authorized personnel, aligning confidentiality with care delivery.
In sum, safeguarding PHI requires a multifaceted approach combining technology, policy, and education. Healthcare systems must protect data integrity while leveraging digital tools to enhance equitable, effective patient care.
References:
- Al Amin, M., Tummala, H., Shah, R., & Ray, I. (2024). Balancing patient privacy and health data security: The role of compliance in protected health information (PHI) sharing. arXiv.
- EasyPractice. (n.d.). Patient confidentiality in healthcare: What you need to know.
- Ibrahim, A. M., Adegboyega, A., Bello, M., Chen, M., & Zhang, Y. (2024). Balancing confidentiality and care coordination: Challenges in patient privacy. Journal of Health Information Management, 39(2), 101-109.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).