Using Technology and Protecting Patient Information and Confidentiality

Using Technology and Protecting Patient Information and Confidentiality
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Using Technology and Protecting Patient Information and Confidentiality
Introduction
Information is currently one of the most important assets that individuals and organizations have. People often go to extra lengths to ensure that their information’s security is guaranteed and will not be available to anyone else but themselves. In today’s world, information has become worth infinitely more than most physical assets but the issue of protection and confidentiality has in a way tainted it. Technology has elevated the value of information and people nowadays pay a lot of money to have data mined and to also have their information protected. On the other hand, some people (hackers) have also developed the habit of making money out of other people’s information. Hackers have necessitated the development of highly secured information reservoirs but some organizations always seem to fall short of the security requirements and upgrades. According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (2012), “healthcare is among the most personal services rendered in our society; yet to deliver this care, scores of personnel must have access to intimate patient information.” The above statement means that hospitals are indeed some of the most information-rich institutions that exist today. When one seeks care, the expectation is that they will divulge most of their personal information to strangers with the hope that it will be kept a secret and offered the protection and confidentiality that it deserves. In this article, the author will assess technology usage and protection of patient information and confidentiality while also elucidating on the current issues that make it easier for malicious people to infringe on other people’s privacy.
Literature Review
According to the University of Toronto (2016), a literature review “is an account of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers.” A literature review is a piece of a research paper that is used to convey or show the bigger picture with regards to a particular topic by referencing other researchers’ works. With regards to this particular topic, there have been numerous accounts that explain how vulnerable information reservoirs have become and the need to reinforce and enhance the security measures in place. With each passing day, information confidentiality and protection becomes hard to maintain. Without a shadow of doubt, technology has improved the quality and efficiency of care, but one cannot be faulted when they say that it has also made it vulnerable. A partnership between healthcare and technology is beneficial but unfortunately, it comes with strings attached and in the long-run people might be forced to pay dearly as a result.
Change is contagious and after technology had invaded other sectors, for example, the banking sector and the agricultural sector, it was only a matter of time for it to invade the healthcare sector. Currently, few hospitals still use ...