Protect your electronic patient records
Develop audit trails, council recommends
The New York City-based National Research Council (NRC) has issued recommendations to help you protect against the possible abuse of electronic patient records. Such abuse is likely to become increasingly widespread as hospitals and health organizations expand their computer networks, according to the report. The council’s recommendations include the following:
• Develop audit trails that allow you to know who accessed patient records over a given period of time. Employees should be assigned identification numbers that allow them to access only appropriate files.
• Write backup files of sensitive patient data using encryption codes. All electronically communicated patient records should also be encrypted.
• Use security systems and personnel to ensure the privacy of patient records by performing regular data checks.
• Draft explicit rules governing the privacy of patient records, clearly spelling out penalties for violations.
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