Security of sharing emr

Security of Sharing EMR Foreword Health care industry has been evolving continuously over the decades. Tools and technologies keep multiplying, bringing in an unprecedented improvement in quality of patient care. Gone are the days when doctors would just jot away notes on forms. As time has passed, considerable changes have taken place in patient information management. Electronic Medical Records software(EMRs) have come to rule the patient information system in an unbeatable, accurate manner, offering convenience to clinicians and all medical professionals.

Significance of Information Exchange Like in so many sciences, case and patient details have to be shared between various practitioners involved with medical care of an individual. Today’s tools and devices allow transfer of data from anywhere to any place, in the shortest possible time, to enable doctors across the globe to take care of their patients in a much better way than before. This has been made possible through the wide usage of EMRs. Implementation of EMR software, that has been a personal preference hitherto, may be mandated in the medical service over time.

As electronic exchange of information facilitates better service for patients and supports physicians as well, it is no wonder that a major portion of the medical

professionals are beginning to lean more toward EMR as their preferred system.

Quick access, reliability, ‘anytime and anywhere’ reach are the main factors that make EMRs popular among today’s learned medicos. At times, it becomes necessary to share patient details using EMRs, when patients need medical attention from different doctors. EMR involves sharing individual information over the digital media. This calls for a cautious and secure exchange of data.

How to make EMR Safe & Secure Medical details are enriched with information—records to be accessed by only those privy to the information. When falling into the wrong persons’ hands, any information becomes vulnerable. For making a fool proof, secure transfer of information, certain precautions have to be taken. ß

System and Physical Access to be Monitored properly: Providing identification and verification requirements, Creating a list of authorized users, Password and PIN protection, and Data Recovery or Restoration policies must be followed

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Cautious Administrative Control to be Placed: Concerned professionals must be given stringent training and guidance about privacy & security, policies & methods to be updated regularly, and routine background checks have to be made

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Device Control and Media Restriction: Data reuse must be avoided, Security plans must be built, Sufficient back up options must be available

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Adopt proper Data Encryption: Sensitive information must not be exchanged over open lines, they must be rather moved after due cryptography process

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Keep Watch over System Users: Regular audit and monitoring processes must be stuck to, identifying any vulnerability, if any

EMR has got so many benefits for patients as well as doctors, while information exchange in an uncontrolled manner may end up in serious trouble for both. As in any IT related process, due diligence has to be exercised over how EMR is being used and data is shared.

This assures safe and secure patient care, apart from enhanced quality of medical service by service providers!

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