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Understanding the Risks of eMRs and Internet Connectivity
[By Carol S. Miller; RN, MBA]
E-mails, PDA data, and Internet connectivity, unless encrypted, can be read by anyone. Therefore, if these items are not encrypted, physicians should be careful of what they say and how they say it, especially when discussing any patient information with other providers, vendors, or managed care organizations. In addition, just because you deleted e-mail from the system does not mean that you have deleted it from the server or from the computers that maintain copies of your server’s data. HIPAA regulations set forth the criteria in electronically transferring patient related data via the Internet.
Secure and Encrypt Messages and Health Information
If you want secure messages, an encryption program should be used. If the message is intercepted the text will be scrambled to anyone other than your intended recipient. Most physicians feel encryption is too time consuming; however, programs such as Pretty Good Privacy at www.pgp.com provides an easy and nearly seamless integration into e-mail and operating systems, encrypting the sensitive files but still allowing ease of communication. PCP software developed by MIT and endorsed by HIPAA, uses privacy and strong authentication. Only the intended recipient can read the data. If files were intercepted, they would be completely unreadable. Other software programs are available in the marketplace that will work using a private key – similar to a password. Tell the program the name of the file you want to encrypt and the private key, and the program uses a mathematical algorithm to encrypt the file. For reference material on various encryption and security software programs, search the web under “encryption” or go to one of the following sites: www.zixit.com, www.cisco.com, www.aspencrypt.com, or www.verisgn.com.
Assessment
In addition to encryption, the office needs a good anti-virus program that is designed to detect and prevent viruses, such as Norton Anti Virus at www.symantec.com and McAfee VirusScan at www.mcafee.com
Conclusion
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OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:
- PRACTICES: www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com
- HOSPITALS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466558731
- CLINICS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900
- ADVISORS: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org
- FINANCE: Financial Planning for Physicians and Advisors
- INSURANCE: Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Physicians and Advisors
- Dictionary of Health Economics and Finance
- Dictionary of Health Information Technology and Security
- Dictionary of Health Insurance and Managed Care
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Filed under: Book Reviews, Career Development, iMBA, Information Technology, Practice Management, Recommended Books, Sponsors | Tagged: carol s. miller, david marcinko, EHRs, EMRs, health 2.0, health data encryption, health information security, healthcare IT, HIPAA, hope hetico, internet connectivity, PDAs, www.healthdictionaryseries.com, www.medicalbusinessadvisors.com | 6 Comments »
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