Balancing Technology and Privacy in Healthcare
The healthcare industry is continuously evolving, driven by the relentless pursuit of new technologies aimed at expediting operations, enhancing client services, and reducing costs. However, with the integration of these advancements, particularly smartphones and social media, there arises a critical need to examine their impacts on patient privacy and care. Social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facetime, Skype, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become integral in this discussion due to their significant influence on the healthcare landscape.
Today, smartphones have become almost ubiquitous in our healthcare system.
They facilitate seamless communication between patients and healthcare providers, thereby improving the quality of care. Patients can effortlessly book appointments, access their test results, and retrieve medical records through their smartphones, revolutionizing the patient experience.
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Social media platforms have introduced new avenues for accessing healthcare services conveniently and at reduced costs. Through applications like Facetime and Skype, patients can consult with doctors remotely, and in emergencies, they can use these platforms to summon assistance. While these are commendable benefits, the legal implications surrounding these technologies must not be overlooked. Issues such as professional ethics, confidentiality, data security, and the patient's right to privacy demand careful consideration.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) outlines specific guidelines for the use of mobile devices in healthcare. This includes any device that receives, transmits, or stores Protected Health Information (PHI). HIPAA mandates that such devices should be secured to minimize hacking risks (Sneiderman & Ackerman, 2014). The potential for personal protected information to be compromised necessitates immediate discontinuation of any device that poses a threat.
Healthcare providers must be vigilant when installing applications, ensuring they do not inadvertently grant third-party applications access to medical databases. Transmitting information through unverified applications could lead to data breaches, holding medical personnel legally accountable. Therefore, providers must ensure the use of applications verified by regulatory bodies before sharing patient information.
Case Study: Breach of Patient Confidentiality
Consider a scenario where a nurse, excited to meet a famous musician, takes unauthorized photographs of the patient and shares them with a friend. The friend, in turn, posts these images on Facebook with hashtags like Getwellsoon and HappyHospitalPics, causing them to spread rapidly across the internet. Such actions lead to a breach of patient confidentiality, triggering an investigation by the HIPAA regulations committee to identify the responsible individual and restore the hospital's reputation (Davenport, 2015).
To prevent such breaches, the HIPAA regulatory committee has implemented new rules limiting the use of personal smartphones during shifts, allowing phone use only for emergencies. Healthcare providers are encouraged to utilize hospital landlines for professional consultations, thereby reducing the risk of digital leaks. Additionally, the committee seeks funding from the Department of Health to acquire advanced technology for secure communication within hospitals.
Advancements and Challenges
Smartphones have significantly integrated into the healthcare sector, offering efficiency and real-time updates for medical practitioners. Their portability allows easy communication among healthcare professionals, enabling the exchange of encrypted messages and images to facilitate accurate diagnoses and treatments (Davenport, 2015).
However, the rise of smartphones has also introduced challenges, including addiction and distraction among healthcare providers due to excessive social media use (Karasz et al, 2013). This distraction can compromise the quality of patient care. Furthermore, the risk of leaking confidential information, especially involving public figures, remains a pressing concern.
Conclusion
The integration of smartphones and social media in healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges. While these technologies offer enhanced communication and convenience, healthcare providers must adhere strictly to established guidelines to protect patient privacy. Ongoing training and assessments are essential to ensure compliance and to keep healthcare personnel informed of any changes in regulations.
By taking proactive measures, the healthcare industry can harness the benefits of technology while safeguarding patient information, ultimately providing high-quality care and maintaining public trust.
References
Davenport, C. (2015). Analysis of PDAs in nursing: Benefits and barriers. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
Karasz, H. N., Eiden, A., & Bogan, S. (2013). Text messaging to communicate with public health audiences: how the HIPAA Security Rule affects practice. American Journal of Public Health, 103(4), 617-622.
Lyles, C. R., Harris, L. T., Le, T., Flowers, J., Tufano, J., Britt, D., … & Ralston, J. D. (2014). Qualitative evaluation of a mobile phone and web-based collaborative care intervention for patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, 13(5), 563-569.
Sneiderman, C. A., & Ackerman, M. J. (2014). Cellular radio telecommunication for healthcare: benefits and risks.
Balancing Technology and Privacy in Healthcare. (2020, May 13). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/hipaa-and-the-use-of-cell-phones-analysis/
