NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information (PHI)

NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2 – Protected Health Information (PHI), Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality Best Practice

Student Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4040 Managing Health Information and Technology

Prof.

Date

Protected Health Information (PHI), Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality Best Practice

In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal legislation, was enacted to provide individuals with rights and protections concerning their health information (CDC, 2018). It outlines guidelines for the appropriate use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI) by businesses dealing with health data. Any data relating to an individual’s current, past, or future physical or mental health, obtained or generated by healthcare providers, health plans, public health authorities, employers, or other healthcare service providers, is considered protected health information (HIPAA, 2018). Examples of such data include names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, account numbers, clinical details, and diagnoses.

Summary of PHI Laws

The HIPAA Security Rule sets forth national requirements to safeguard electronic PHI (ePHI) (Gatehouse, 2020). It mandates that covered entities implement necessary measures to prevent unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure of ePHI. In case unprotected PHI is compromised, covered entities are obligated under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule to inform the affected individuals (Heath et al., 2021). Furthermore, covered entities are required to notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and, in specific cases, the media, as per the Rule. The HIPAA Enforcement Rule outlines the procedures HHS must follow to investigate and penalize organizations violating HIPAA Rules. This includes imposing sanctions for non-compliance, such as civil monetary fines, corrective action plans, and potential legal actions (Moore & Frye, 2019).

Best Practices for Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality

The aforementioned regulations provide a robust foundation for multidisciplinary teams to safeguard the privacy of sensitive electronic health information. These laws necessitate that covered entities implement reasonable and necessary safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of ePHI. They also outline processes for HHS to take legal action against entities breaching HIPAA Rules and ensure individuals have control over their PHI. NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

The Significance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Interdisciplinary collaboration is vital for securing sensitive electronic health information (ePHI) as it allows various stakeholders to work together to ensure patient data security and compliance with data privacy and security laws. By leveraging knowledge from various disciplines, organizations can better comprehend the risks associated with managing ePHI and devise measures to secure it (Beckmann et al., 2021).

Protected Health Information (PHI), Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality Best Practice

For instance, an interdisciplinary team of specialists might include a privacy officer, IT staff, legal counsel, and a health information management specialist. This team can aid a healthcare company in formulating policies and procedures to safeguard ePHI, such as implementing appropriate access controls and encryption to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to the data. Additionally, the team can assist the company in devising a response plan in case of a data breach (Beckmann et al., 2021).

Evidence-Based Approaches to Mitigate Risks for Patients and Healthcare Staff

To minimize risks for patients and healthcare staff while utilizing social media containing sensitive electronic health information, several strategies can be implemented (Health, 2022): NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

1. Develop a social media policy outlining guidelines for interacting with patients on social media and restrictions on sharing private information.
2. Utilize secure communications, ensuring that the services used are HIPAA compliant and encrypted to guarantee data safety.
3. Educate employees on the risks of social media usage and the importance of safeguarding private electronic health records.
4. Monitor social media accounts for improper information and ensure staff members comply with the rules and regulations.
5. Limit access to sensitive electronic health information to only those individuals who need it to perform their duties.
6. Employ authentication procedures to verify the identity of anyone accessing sensitive data.
7. Establish auditing and monitoring mechanisms to detect any unauthorized access or attempted access to sensitive information.
8. Stay updated with the latest best practices for safeguarding private electronic health information.

Effective Staff Training for Inter-professional Teams

As healthcare providers, it is our responsibility to ensure the security, privacy, and confidentiality of patient data, especially when using social media. NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2 – Protected Health Information (PHI), Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality Best Practice . Adhering to the strictest standards of patient confidentiality, medical practitioners using social media should follow these rules (Arigo et al., 2018):

1. Avoid engaging in speculation or criticism of a patient on social media.
2. Refrain from disclosing information about a patient’s health or treatment on social media.
3. Never publish any patient-identifying information on social media, including images.
4. Do not use social media to request or receive patient information.
5. Avoid disclosing any patient data or confidential information to individuals outside the healthcare team.

References

Almaghrabi, N. S., & Bugis, B. A. (2022). Patient confidentiality of electronic health records: A recent review of the Saudi literature. Dr. Sulaiman al Habib Medical Journal, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44229-022-00016-9 

Basil, N. N., Ambe, S., Ekhator, C., & Fonkem, E. (2022). Health records database and inherent security concerns: A review of the literature. Cureus, 14(10). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30168

HIPAA Journal. (2023, February). Hipaa Social Media Rules – updated 2023. https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-social-media/

Javaid, D. M., Haleem, Prof. A., Singh, D. R. P., & Suman, D. R. (2023). Towards insighting cybersecurity for healthcare domains: A comprehensive review of recent practices and trends. Cyber Security and Applications, 1(100016), 100016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csa.2023.100016 

Kerr, H., Booth, R., & Jackson, K. (2020). Exploring the characteristics and behaviors of nurses who have attained microcelebrity status on Instagram: Content analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(5), e16540. https://doi.org/10.2196/16540 

Vos, J. F. J., Boonstra, A., Kooistra, A., Seelen, M., & van Offenbeek, M. (2020). The influence of electronic health record use on collaboration among medical specialties. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 676. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05542-6 

Vukusic Rukavina, T., Viskic, J., Machala Poplasen, L., Relic, D., Marelic, M., Jokic, D., & Sedak, K. (2020). Dangers and benefits of social media on e-professionalism of healthcare professionals: Scoping review (preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(11). https://doi.org/10.2196/25770 

Yeo, L. H., & Banfield, J. (2022). Human factors in electronic health records cybersecurity breach: An exploratory analysis. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 19(Spring), 1i. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9123525/ 

NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information (PHI)

Prepare a 2-page inter-professional staff update on HIPAA and appropriate social media use in a skilled nursing facility.

Social Media Concerns: Sharing moments from daily activities, therapies, or resident interactions can breach patient privacy, even if done with the best intentions

As a nurse in this setting, you are asked to create the content for a staff update containing a maximum of two content pages that address one or more of these topics: NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

• Social media best practices.
• What not to do: social media.
• Social media risks to patient information.
• Steps to take if a breach occurs.

This assessment is not a traditional essay. It is a staff educational update about PHI. Consider creating a flyer, pamphlet, or one PowerPoint slide (not an entire presentation). Remember it should not be more than two pages (excluding a title and a reference page).

The task force has asked team members assigned to the topics to include the following content in their updates in addition to content on their selected topics:

• What is protected health information (PHI)?
  • Be sure to include essential HIPAA information.
• What are privacy, security, and confidentiality?
  • Define and provide examples of privacy, security, and confidentiality concerns related to the use of technology in health care.
  • Explain the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to safeguard sensitive electronic health information.
• What evidence relating to social media usage and PHI do interprofessional team members need to be aware of? For example:
  • What are some examples of nurses being terminated for inappropriate social media use in the United States?
  • What types of sanctions have health care organizations imposed on interdisciplinary team members who have violated social media policies?
  • What have been the financial penalties assessed against health care organizations for inappropriate social media use?
  • What evidence-based strategies have health care organizations employed to prevent or reduce confidentiality, privacy, and security breaches, particularly related to social media usage?

Include need-to-know information only

Many times people do not read staff updates, do not read them carefully, or do not read them to the end. Ensure your staff update piques staff members’ interest, highlights key points, and is easy to read. Avoid overcrowding the update with too much content.

Citations and references: Provide a separate reference page that includes 2–3 current, peer-reviewed and 1–2 current, non-peer-reviewed in-text citations and references (total of 3–5 resources) that support the staff update’s content. Current means no older than 5 years.

Criteria to Hit

Provide a comprehensive and insightful summary of confidentially laws related to protecting sensitive electronic health information that govern the interdisciplinary team.

Explain in detail, and with professional insight, the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to safeguard sensitive electronic health information.

Identify multiple appropriate and well-researched evidence-based approaches to mitigate risks to patients and health care staff related to sensitive electronic health information. NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

Develop a comprehensive, professional, and effective staff update that educates inter-professional team members about protecting the security, privacy, and confidentiality of patient data, particularly as it pertains to social media usage.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS – NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

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• Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, including a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words. Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source. One or two-sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words. I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

• Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately. In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies. Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work). Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.

• APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with the APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in Loud-cloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required). Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation. I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

• Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage over-utilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Master’s level and deduct points accordingly. As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content. It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source. NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

• LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to Lopes Write, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me. Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes. Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own? Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in Loud-cloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

• Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is a 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies. Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances. If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect. I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension. As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

• Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me: Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class. Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours. NURS FPX 4040 Assessment 2: Protected Health Information

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