Electronic Medical Records: Patient Action, Benefits, Risks & Security

This report examines the impact of electronic medical records (EMR) on patient action and data security within the healthcare system. It discusses the benefits of digitizing medical records, such as improved healthcare quality, reduced medical errors, and easy accessibility for preventing mishaps like incorrect prescriptions. However, it also highlights significant drawbacks, including potential privacy breaches, data inaccuracies, and the high costs associated with implementation and maintenance. The report addresses ethical priorities like confidentiality, system implementation, data accuracy, and security breaches, emphasizing the need for robust security measures, including firewalls, antivirus solutions, and regular security reviews to protect patient data. It further contrasts the advantages of EMRs, such as efficient data transfer and reduced storage, with disadvantages like the risk of hacking and over-reliance on technology, suggesting layered defense strategies and continuous system upgrades to enhance data security and improve overall healthcare outcomes. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments.

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Table of Contents
Position 3: Electronic Medical Record action of patients..............................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

Position 3: Electronic Medical Record action of patients
Digitalization of technology has left the medical centre vulnerable by releasing of
electronic health and medical records of patients that includes their history of physical
examinations, treatments, examinations and investigations. These records are accessible for
research and paper records; could be served as a great source of information. But the patient may
found this as offensive and an invasion of privacy.
Many arguments could be made about the purpose it serves as well as the harm it can
cause to the respective stakeholders. The motive of this digital record is to improve medical
quality and health care system but the risk of discloser of patient's record without through theft
or mistake leaves threat behind (Hassidim, and et.al, 2017). Safety of data in system is the real
challenge face by technologies and the news regarding security breaches puts question mark on
it. Despite its usefulness and rising enthusiasm in the adoption, arising ethical issues are often
ignored.
Earlier, when the digitalization of records was not possible, the main drawback of
physical records were concerning to its accessibility limiting to only one user at a time.
Innovation of digital records changed the world of health care system.
The main purpose of EHR remains the same and that is to improve and support health care of
patients. Easy accessibility of these records could prevent many mishaps like wrong
prescriptions, procedure and doses. Furthermore, prevention of drug reaction or allergy becomes
more possible. These records have constantly shown improvement in patient observance,
reduced medical errors and quality assurance.

The office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (IT) stated that the
health records are not just a collection of data but a life. The owner of the information in the
record is patient themselves and physical examination record is owned by the physician or the
organization. Four ethical priorities are mentioned for EHRS; Confidentiality of privacy, system
implementation, data inaccuracies and security breaches.
There are many benefits to the release of medical records as discussed above, but it
comes with many drawbacks that can not be pass over. The requirement of immediate updates on
the record after patient's visit whenever change in information occur might cause failure to
Illustration 1: Electronic Healthcare Record
Source: (Rakesh Kumar and Nallakaruppan, 2019.)

provide accurate data could result in other medical professionals to rely on wrong inaccurate
information.
The easy access of medical records to the patients and stakeholders without any medical
professionals' supervision can cause misinterpretation of a file and create panic among them.
Additionally, the cost of implementation and adoption, revenue loss due to temporary loss in the
productivity presented financial disadvantage to the hospitals. The maintenance of these records
are also costly adding to the disadvantages. Also, malpractices and data loss due to technological
errors can destroy or lose reports permanently unlike paper based records and accountability of
such loss could be unachievable.
Constantly Changing technology brings new vulnerability with it in the system. After
applying securing solutions for information of patient's then forgetting about it is not the possible
solution. For truly securing the information, regular review of security solutions and upgrading is
also needed. To keep information secure implementing layered defence is important.
Illustration 2: Features of EHR
Source: (Joseph Ladd, 2017)

Benefits Drawbacks
It improves and support health care of
patients.
The Biggest drawback is the potential threat
to privacy and security of the records.
Through these digital records not only
storage spaces are required less; the future
diagnosis and treatment of the similar cases
could be done efficiently.
It has risk of hacking that could lead to
records being handed to the wrong hands
(Martin and Sbaffi, 2020).
The amount of total lost records reduced,
research activities are supported, backup of
records could be done at evident low cost,
are cost-effective and data transfer are fast
paced.
The electronic medical and health records
may results in increased errors leading to
negative emotions and over-dependence on
technology that causes decrease in
productiveness among the working
professionals.
A firewall should be created to prevent any unauthorized network to access the data, a
filter to block spam, malicious emails should be made. To detect and block malware on the
system a solution of antivirus should be provided. Privacy and access controls should be
implemented within the organization. There should be a control for disaster recovery in case of
data loss in emergency. In case of loss and theft allowance of deletion of the data on mobile
phone devices should be provided. Lastly, scanning of any vulnerability in the network or data
should be done beforehand to make quick solutions and avoid any future mishap.
NHS have been working on the betterment of the system and implementing solutions (Sood and
McNeil, 2017). These mentioned solutions might help NHS to secure data more efficiently and
also use it for the benefits it provides for better medical up-gradation.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Hassidim, A., and et.al, 2017. Prevalence of sharing access credentials in electronic medical
records. Healthcare informatics research. 23(3). pp.176-182.
Martin, P.M. and Sbaffi, L., 2020. Electronic health record and problem lists in Leeds, United
Kingdom: variability of general practitioners’ views. Health informatics journal, 26(3).
pp.1898-1911.
Sood, H.S. and McNeil, K., 2017. How is health information technology changing the way we
deliver NHS hospital care?. Future Healthcare Journal. 4(2). p.117.
Online
Joseph Ladd, 2017. Increased EHR use has advantages, but also patient safety barriers [Online]
[accessed through]
<https://www.pharmacytoday.org/article/S1042-0991(17)31784-X/fulltext>
Rakesh Kumar, S., and Nallakaruppan,M.K., 2019. Medical Big Data Mining and Processing in
e-Healthcare [Online] [accessed through]
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/electronic-health-record>
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