Information Systems in a Long-Term Care Facility

Week 7 discussion

Imagine that you are the administrator of a midsize long-term care facility with an outdated information system. You are tasked with planning and managing the integration of a new database into the existing system. Suggest two (2) potential problems that could occur with the integration. Recommend one (1) measure that you as the administrator could take in order to make sure that the integration does not compromise your facility’s current information system.

When being an administrator of a midsize long-term care facility planning and managing the integration of a new database into the existing system can be difficult. Administrator must look at the positives to these technological advances but also to the potential challenges that could come with these technological advancements.

Two problems that can occur

Tracking and monitoring patient information can become extremely unmanageable depending on the size of the healthcare organization. Things such as analyzing risk, conducting audits and documentation control through manual paper-based processes can also take on a punch. When trying to monitor and find better ways to track patients information.

There is a large amount of paperwork, and lengthy documentation, and patient records involved. These documentation has to be maintain for six years in addition to disposing the patients information

The biggest risk for organizations can be to not have the right education for employees on how to avoid security breaches and data loss. Training should be a must, it can be done using a online portals and/or PowerPoint presentation with questions and a submit action after the employee reads and understand the information. If not completed the employees should not be allowed to work until it is completed. 

Assess the main possible Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violations that your facility risks by having a third party monitor the integrated database, and recommend at least one (1) method of preventing or addressing each identified violation. Provide a rationale for your response.

Congress passed the HIPPA protection Rule in 1996, the assembled states enactment that gives information protection and security arrangements for protecting medical information. (“The HIPAA Privacy Rule And Its Impact On Healthcare Organizations – Brown&Fortunato PC”, 2018) When using third-party vendors to work with healthcare organizations in performing tasks such as medical billing it can be a risk. Once you put a patient’s information into an outside source you must trust the technology and/or company that is in charge of it. It is critical that the third-party vendor knows the correct security measures to protect the patients privacy and information.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule And Its Impact On Healthcare Organizations – Brown&Fortunato PC. (2018). Brown&Fortunato PC. Retrieved 20 January 2018, from https://www.bf-law.com/the-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-its-impact-on-healthcare-organizations/