Health Information Exchange, Research Paper Example

Introduction and Objective

Health Information Exchange (HIE) embodies a series of ideals and expectations which represent the ability to exchange different forms of health-related information in a private, secure yet accessible format. This practice is important and instrumental in shaping outcomes and also in enabling healthcare professionals to access the appropriate data in an efficient manner. It is important to demonstrate how to best influence HIE through the provision of security and privacy standards which will facilitate information exchange privately yet efficiently. This process is instrumental in supporting modern healthcare practice methods, and it demonstrates that the efficient flow of information from one clinical professional to another is likely to improve outcomes associated with patient care and wellbeing.

Definition of Health Information Exchange (HIE)

Health Information Exchange (HIE) is defined as follows: “Health information exchange (HIE) is the transmission of healthcare-related data among facilities, health information organizations (HIO) and government agencies according to national standards. HIE is an integral component of the health information technology (HIT) infrastructure under development in the United States and the associated National Health Information Network (NHIN)” (Searchhealthit.techtarget.com). This practice method is essential to transmit information from one party to another within a healthcare organization, and the approach or strategy must adhere to the requirements mandated by the United States federal government. This is an essential practice that enables healthcare organizations to share necessary information regarding patients in a timely manner, and also to address the different challenges associated with this practice, including routine maintenance and software updates.

Dilemma

In a society which thrives upon different forms of technology in many ways, it is important and necessary to develop a strategic approach that is cognizant of the ongoing dimensions of patient care that are required to protect privacy as best as possible. Therefore, adhering to these standards is critical and must continue to be a key priority in this practice. It is believed that some patients and clinical providers may not fully trust in the capacity of an HIE system to protect information at all times: “If individuals and other participants in a network lack trust in electronic exchange of information due to perceived or actual risks to individually identifiable health information or the accuracy and completeness of such information, it may affect their willingness to disclose necessary health information and could have life-threatening consequences. Coordinated attention at the Federal and State levels is needed both to develop and implement appropriate privacy and security policies” (The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2011). Therefore, it is necessary to develop strategic approaches which emphasize safety and security to ensure that patient information is protected at all costs. This practice must also demonstrate that healthcare organizations possess the knowledge and training that is necessary to operate the HIE system effectively, while also adhering to existing security standards and other requirements that might be required. Within this context, it is also important to develop a series of strategic approaches which incorporate the demands of the federal government within the system framework.

Challenge

In modern healthcare organizations, there is a significant set of challenges in place which require all professionals to comply with a set of standards established by the federal government to improve outcomes and expectations associated with personal patient data and information. Therefore, it is expected that under these conditions, there must be a protocol in place to provide adequate disciplinary action if and when a breach of protocol is observed in any way, which could compromise personal data and information accordingly. Therefore, the primary challenge is to develop a strategic approach which supports the development of a system or method that is designed to protect and secure personal information as best as possible.

History of HIE in the United States

In recent years, there has been an ever-increasing demand to develop technology-based systems and solutions which support the needs of transmitting patient data and information electronically across different channels, and this reflects the ability of healthcare organizations to develop advanced systems which also promote security and privacy initiatives. It is important to develop a greater understanding of these needs and how they have impacted the transmission of health-related information in recent history. From a federal government-based perspective, there has been a marked necessity to determine how to mandate requirements and regulations to protect personal data and information in the best possible manner. In the year 2005, it was recognized that the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recognized the need to develop practice standards to manage healthcare and patient-related data and information in a manner that was consistent with the necessity to provide anonymity and security at all times (LIPIX, 2011). As a result, the federal government developed a new strategy to accommodate the growing needs of healthcare organizations, and sought to develop a process or method which could transmit health-related information across different technology-based channels, and made the decision to mandate specific guidelines and frameworks which could enable this information to be transmitted both securely and efficiently across networks (LIPIX, 2011). Therefore, it was important for the federal government to work tirelessly to develop these standards so that healthcare organizations could better manage the needs of employees both efficiently and effectively under a variety of conditions (LIPIX, 2011). These efforts also supported the demand for new regulations to protect this highly personal information from being transmitted to the wrong parties, or from being stolen altogether in a malicious act (LIPIX, 2011).

Benefits of HIE

There are a number of important benefits associated with HIE, including the ability to transmit information across different networks seamlessly and efficiently, which supports the ability to manage information more effectively. As a result, many healthcare organizations are able to work collaboratively with others in an effort to transmit information on an as needed basis in a private and secure manner. Since these regulations began, there is an increased push to protect this information at all costs, and this reflects a capacity to develop new methods that will encourage individual users to be protective and proactive of this information simultaneously. This will also ensure that individuals within healthcare organizations recognize their responsibility to be successful contributors to system management by adhering to all required guidelines and regulations. The ability to be successful in managing the selected system must also demonstrate a willingness to comply with federal regulations that mandate maximum safety and security at all times. It is expected that under these conditions, individuals will recognize the benefits of these systems, as well as the opportunities that are available to improve patient care and outcomes.

Methods to Address Privacy and Security with HIE

The ability of individual HIE systems to be effective in the transmission of individual patient data and information requires an effective understanding and acceptance of the different elements of privacy and security which must be in place to support the efficient use of this information in different settings. It is important and necessary to develop a strategic approach which reflects upon the difficult nature of protecting said information, but that also supports the different opportunities that are available to expand patient care in a positive manner. Therefore, security measures, including firewalls and other mechanisms, must be actively utilized in an effort to ensure that personal information is protected at all costs. This also supports the development of new opportunities to support long-term success in the transmission of information across different channels both privately and securely so that no third-party interference is observed. Therefore, controls regarding privacy and security must be tight at all stages, and must also reflect a capacity to improve outcomes both consistently and efficiently.

Current Challenges and Methods to Overcome Them

There are a number of challenges that IT personnel and other professionals face when managing information in a database platform or other related format. Under these conditions, it is important and necessary to develop new strategic approaches which will enable organizations and their employees to exercise extreme caution when sharing patient data and information with others. Under these conditions, it is expected that there will be additional requirements to ensure that some of the biggest threats to the integrity of this information, including hackers, are not realized. This is an important and necessary step which enables organizations to recognize the challenges of maintaining safe, private, and secure environments in which information might be transmitted effectively to other sources. This is an ongoing problem and requires an effective process to enable organizations to be successful in supporting the desired objectives accordingly.

Summary and Conclusion

The development of Health Information Exchange platforms requires an ongoing effort to ensure that data and information is protected at all costs, and that enables organizations to recognize the challenges associated with creating systems which adhere to all required standards accordingly. These efforts must convey the ongoing development of new methods and perspectives to ensure that patient information is protected from unnecessary risks, and that this information is transmitted in secure environments under all conditions. This practice also ensures that patient care is treated properly and with care. It is anticipated that with the ongoing creation of new federal rules and regulations to administer and manage healthcare information, there must be effective measures in place at the organizational level to ensure that patient care is not compromised in any way, and that as many steps as possible are taken to ensure that patient care is maximized. These efforts also demonstrate that each organization must be held accountable for the efforts made to protect the transmission of data and information in accordance with federal law. These efforts are also instrumental in shaping outcomes, and also in reflecting upon the ever-changing nature of technology and its overall impact on organizational growth and change. These efforts require a greater understanding of the different elements of change that must be addressed to achieve success within this data and information exchange platform at all times. When these objectives are fully realized, it is possible for organizations to achieve maximum success within the scope of these processes and methods to ensure that patient care is efficient yet intelligent under all possible conditions.

References

LIPIX (2011). History of the Health Information Exchange (HIE). Retrieved from http://www.lipix.org/about/history.html

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (2011). Advancing privacy and security in Health Information Exchange. Retrieved from http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__privacy_and_security/1147

Searchhealthit.techtarget.com. Health Information Exchange (HIE). Retrieved from http://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/Health-information-exchange-HIE