The given scenario in the question refers to serious challenges to the safety of patient data. As a security officer, I would refer to the hospital’s policies and relevant regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA. I would use the skills of IT experts to improve data security. Tracking changes in patients’ data is not difficult. To improve the process, I would only allow authorized persons to access the database of patients. I would ask management to limit the number of employees who can make changes to patients’ data. All the staff members who use the patient database should have a secure login and password. I would ask them not to share their credentials. With the help of IT staff, I would enable the system to automatically track all the changes that are made in the database. In this way, I can easily track changes in the system along with the name of the person who first entered the patient information.
The reporting of data security breaches is critical to take remedial measures. I would consult all the stakeholders before making a policy. According to experts, the participation of end-users is necessary (McConigle & Mastrian, 2017, p 256). I would introduce a whistle-blower policy in the hospital. Due to this policy, nurses would find it difficult to hide data breaches, especially for high-profile patients. I would ensure compliance with relevant regulatory frameworks, including HIPAA. I would incorporate policies from the international best practices regarding patient privacy.
The violation of the organization’s policy would be considered a serious crime. I would formulate strict sanctions for it. I would penalize the staff according to the intensity of the violations. In the sanctions, both monetary and non-monetary penalties would be included, including fines and transfers. The most severe sanctions would be termination from employment and reporting to the police.
The safety of patient data is indeed critical. The IT department might help track changes in patients’ records. I would incorporate the best international practices to encourage nurses to report data breaches. The sanction for violation of policy includes both financial and non-financial penalties.
References
Mcgonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed., p.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Cite This Work
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below:
