Justices Warren and Brandeis define privacy as the right “to be let alone.” Patient information should be released to others only with the patient’s permission or as allowed by law. This is not, however, to say that physicians cannot gain access to patient information. Information can be released for treatment, payment, or administrative purposes without a patient’s authorization. The patient, too, has federal, state, and legal rights to view, obtain a copy of, and amend information in his or her health record. Under the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, employers are held accountable for the actions of their employees (Harman, Flite, & Bond, 2012). 

 

Reference

 

Harman, L. B., Flite, C. A. & Bond, K. (2012, September). Electronic Health Records: Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security. https://journalofethics 

Patient safety issues, particularly pharmaceutical errors, are receiving more attention nationwide thanks to the Institute of Medicine publications To Err is Human and Crossing the Quality Chasm. By eliminating handwritten errors in electronic health records (EHRs) and supplying clinical decision assistance, health information technology (HIT) was viewed as a vital mechanism to improve patient safety and the standard of healthcare (CDS). The legal and ethical challenges surrounding HIT have not gotten as much attention as other topics, despite its rising adoption rate. The main ethical issues in the use of HIT revolve around the ideas of giving safe and effective treatment and preventing harm, in addition to worries about privacy and security. Similar to other interventions, these systems' use is regulated, and their effects are observed to ensure they are utilized appropriately and safely.

 

Reference

 

 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Ethical and legal issues in the use of health information technology to improve patient safety. https://digital.ahrq.gov/health-it-tools-and-resources/health-it-bibliography/privacy-and-security/ethical-and-legal-issues