Scheduled Downtimes
Nowadays, computers are embedded in almost all activities regardless of the sector and industry of operation. Health care facilities are no exception to the general rule, as they often implement clinical-information systems for storing and processing patient data, prescriptions, and laboratory tests. It is essential to note that these systems do not guarantee the safety of information because there are high risks of data loss and compromising during unexpected downtimes. Nevertheless, the same is true for scheduled downtimes. That is why it is critical to take steps, which would help avoid the negative consequences of planned downtimes and guaranteeing adequate access to needed information.
There are several strategies for providing access to important patient information and laboratory reports during the scheduled downtimes of clinical-information systems. First and foremost, it is advisable to conduct them during the times when volumes of patients are low or medical practice is closed. More than that, if staff members are aware of planned downtime, they have an opportunity to retrieve the required information before the downtime. This step as well involves printing patient schedules and prescriptions, which will be needed during the planned downtime (Penuel, Statler, & Hagen, 2013).
However, in some cases, it is impossible to foresee what data will be necessary. That is why other steps might be beneficial. For instance, creating an offline copy of all laboratory reports and patient information, which are not connected to the facility’s clinical information system, might help satisfy the need for unprepared and unplanned information (Oral, Cullen, Diaz, Hod, & Kratz, 2015). According to this approach, nurses are recommended to download reports so that they could be easily printed out if needed. Also, a supplementary backup system might be valuable for solving the problem under consideration. It is advisable to use this system in case of durable downtimes, e.g. longer than two hours (Coffey, Poston, Houston, & McKeeby, 2016).
Minimizing Threats to Patient Information
To minimize threats to patient information, it is paramount to develop and implement a comprehensive security policy. To be efficient, it should involve several areas. First and foremost, the new policy should be based on the adequate implementation of the clinical-information system. This system should be usable and include certification and authorization procedures. These procedures are critical for guaranteeing that only particular users obtain access to patient information. Nevertheless, control measures are not enough for protecting information, as they make up only one area of the policy. Other critical steps include training staff so that all those who work with the system know how to operate it properly and how to address security and confidentiality issues (Harman, Filte, & Bond, 2012).
Besides, a well-designed policy should incorporate organizational issues, i.e. properly report and document incidents of data loss or malfunctions and performance failures to prevent them in the future. The organizational aspect should be developed in cooperation with providers of the information system so that all potential gaps are taken into consideration (Bowman, 2013). Finally, it is essential to address the issue of the constant evolution of new technologies. Even though it is impossible to invest in inclusive upgrades of the system, financing the implementation of the newest software related to the security of the system and training staff to run it as well as gradual innovation are affordable. So, making one step at a time is the approach to addressing the constant evolution of technologies.
References
Bowman, S. (2013). Impact of electronic health record systems on information integrity: quality and safety implications. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 2013 Fall, 1c.
Coffey, P. S., Poston, S., Houston, S.M., & McKeeby, J. W. (2016). Lessons learned from an electronic health record downtime. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 2016 Summer, 1-7.
Harman, L. B., Filte, C. A., & Bond, K. (2012). Electronic health record: Privacy, confidentiality, and security. Virtual Mentor, 14(9), 712-719.
Oral, B., Cullen, R. M., Diaz, D. L., Hod, E. A., & Kratz, A. (2015). Downtime procedures for the 21st century using a fully integrated health record for uninterrupted electronic reporting of laboratory results during laboratory information system downtimes. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 143(1), 100-104.
Penuel, K. B., Statler, M., & Hagen, R. (2013). Encyclopedia of crisis management. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.