Electronic medical records (EMRs) are significant in the health care setting because they allow for storing patients’ medical information in one place and quickly accessing it. Since EMRs can contain protected information, it is necessary to consider how HIPAA applies to them. Firstly, the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules were specifically created to govern the electronic exchange of patient data (US Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.).
This information denotes that HIPAA equally applies to electronic and physical records. According to Myers (2009), every social worker should rely on HIPAA standards every time before sending clients’ data electronically. This information demonstrates that healthcare professionals should ensure that all the data is secured and the way of transmitting it does not have potential dangers (Myers, 2009). In other words, it is not allowed to send the details to dubious websites or unfamiliar email addresses.
In addition to that, it is rational to explain whether a social worker is allowed to access patients’ EMRs. As a rule, a patient’s information may only be released when they give official permission for that or in accordance with the law. However, Harman et al. (2012) stipulate medical professionals, including social workers, do not need to obtain a client’s authorization to access their EMRs for administrative, treatment, or payment purposes. In other words, a social worker may access EMRs under particular conditions.
Simultaneously, there are no regulations that could prevent a social worker from accessing his or her EMRs. According to Harman et al. (2012), every person “has federal, state, and legal rights to view, obtain a copy of, and amend information in his or her health record” (p. 713). The only requirement is to have access to the portal and know the credentials, including a login and password.
As a rule, EMRs may only be accessed by a patient or their healthcare providers. In other words, a social worker cannot access their family members’ EMRs. However, there is an exception to this rule because access can be given when such family members are dangerous to themselves or others (Myers, 2009). Consequently, the answer to the question of whether a social worker can access their relatives’ EMRs depends on external factors.
Finally, HIPAA can have positive and negative ramifications on medical social work practice. On the one hand, these guidelines oblige organizations to conduct audit trials to ensure that they have sufficient hardware and software to keep EMR’s secured (Harman et al., 2012). On the other hand, following the HIPAA requirements does not guarantee complete confidentiality, and the 2011 scandal with UCLA employees who improperly accessed celebrities’ records exemplifies the thought (Harman et al., 2012). That is why the HIPAA guidelines should be implemented with additional privacy and security policies.
References
Harman, L. B., Flite, C. A., & Bond, K. (2012). Electronic health records: Privacy, confidentiality, and security. Virtual Mentor, 14(9), 712-719. Web.
Myers, R. K. (2009). The fundamentals of HIPAA. Privacy, security and electronic data transfer in clinical settings: What we need to know. Clinical Social Work Association. Web.
US Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Summary of the HIPAA privacy rule. Web.