Patient privacy and confidentiality remain a daunting concern when it comes to EHRs. Since they store and handle a plethora of sensitive patient information, you must choose EHRs with informational functionality that ensures protecting the privacy of your patients.

EHRs thrive on the concept of easy information sharing across geographic locations, clinical boundaries, and specialties. They facilitate the exchange of vital patient information in a standardized format that allows ease of access, storage, and sharing within the healthcare system. However, alongside the widely propagated benefits, there are concerns over patient privacy.

We know that all patient information that is shared as a result of clinical interactions should be considered confidential and must be protected. Patient information should only be released to others with the patient’s permission or when allowed by law. In instances where the patient himself is unable to allow permission, such as in the case of mental incapacity, the decision should be made by the legal representative or guardian of the patient.

Proponents of EHR advocate the increased patient privacy that can be expected with the use of EHRs. They discuss two immediate areas where patients can experience this. One, in the hospital and clinic setting where are being registered, and secondly, in the patient room where healthcare workers gather and record their information in privacy. Patients can answer personal and health-related questions in privacy. And they also don’t need to worry about signing paper-based files where strangers can see their names and details. Instead, the information is recorded in a digital database where the data is protected through authorized access controls.

However, there’s another side to the coin. EHRs are designed to facilitate easy access to patient information to enable interoperability. This then leads to the sharing of vital patient information across various clinical settings and amongst several caregivers, as required by the patient’s health situation. For instance, in the case of complex health conditions, the physician might want to seek medical advice from fellow specialties to make better diagnosis and treatment plans. The confidentiality of patient data is seriously undermined under such circumstances.

Not to forget, the sensitive information stored in EHR may automatically be displayed in the patient portal or printed in a summary of care record. This information can also be shared with other providers and payers for business-related workflows.

The key to preserving confidentiality then remains to limit access to authorized individuals only. This begins with authorizing the users. The user’s access should be based on pre-established role-based privileges. The administrator should determine the level of information that should be shared with a given user. At the same time, the user should be aware that he will be held accountable for any misuse of this information.

HIPAA-compliant EHRs ensure considerable safeguards are in place to protect patient information and to ensure that the data is not transmitted improperly. HIPAA essentially governs how health plans, clearinghouses, and other healthcare providers secure patient data privately. Protected data, as defined by HIPAA, includes:

• Any information that the healthcare providers put into a patient record,
• Any discussions between the providers related to care or treatment of the patient,
• Billing information.

The need of the hour perhaps is thoughtful solutions that address system usability and patient safety simultaneously. The underlying objective must remain to ensure patient safety and confidentiality while also maximizing the interoperability of EHRs.