Information risk management doesn’t just sound important…it is important. Particularly in the healthcare industry where private patient information is at risk of exposure. Good information risk management practices ensure that any legal mandates are being closely followed, specifically in relation to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
I have personal experience working in a department of a healthcare system that had to closely follow HIPAA regulations. We had an Electronic Medical Record System (EMR) at our disposal, which meant that we could access the information of any patient, anywhere in the system. We were not only handling this precious information but also dispersing it when necessary, with patients over the phone.
Extra steps were taken to identify each and every patient we interacted with. Prior to disclosing any personal information, we were required to follow a red rule, which is a rule that must be followed exactly as specified. These rules were developed by experts in information management who had assessed our risk and designed the right process for us to safely manage this patient information.
Making sure that a healthcare organization does everything in its power to follow proper information risk management protocols is critical. Information management and privacy are a constant topic of development, and rightfully so. Healthcare organizations know that information leaking into the wrong hands is not only dangerously wrong but will likely result in monumental financial and legal repercussions. That’s not to mention the amount of stress that would be placed on the victim. Taking precautionary measures and working with the right partners will always be a better option than dealing with bad press, millions of dollars in lawsuits, and angry patients.
We’ve all been hospital patients or know someone that has been and can certainly imagine how the mismanagement of private information can have huge negative impacts on our lives. As technology progresses, so should our methods of protecting patient information. It’s up to companies like netlogx to make sure we are at the forefront of these solutions so we can provide our clients with the best and most updated consulting services.
