For 5 weeks, we have discussed the use of electronic medical records and HIPAA from many different angles and perspectives. As health care professionals, failure to maintain confidentiality can have dire consequences both for the patients involved and you as a health care worker. For this assignment, please research the internet and look for a case study or lawsuit that involved either EMR and/or HIPAA. Read the case carefully, and then write a 100-200 word essay covering the following points:
- Briefly describe the incident
- What harm occurred
- What was the outcome
- Your opinion as to the incident and whether you felt the outcome was justified
- Finally, what could have prevented the incident?
Be sure and provide a link to your article as well. Grammar and spelling DO count, as well as proper formatting. I look forward to reading about your findings and your opinion.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
The use of electronic medical records (EMR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a critical part of healthcare administration. The privacy and confidentiality of patients’ medical data are of utmost importance, and any breach of this information can have severe consequences. In this assignment, we will discuss a case study or lawsuit involving EMR and/or HIPAA, outlining the incident, the harm caused, the outcome, and preventive measures that could have been taken.
Answer:
The case of Aetna Inc. privacy breach is an excellent example of the risk of using technology to handle medical records. In 2017, Aetna sent letters to 12,000 members who were taking HIV medication, which exposed their HIV status in the envelope’s transparent window. This exposure of patients’ sensitive medical information resulted in a significant violation of privacy and led to harm against those affected. The patients’ harm ranged from unwanted disclosures to their health status, leading to a loss of trust in both Aetna and the healthcare system in general. The outcome was Aetna agreed to pay $17 million for a settlement, and it was further mandated by law to improve its privacy practices. My opinion on this incident is that the outcome was justified, considering the severity of the breach. To prevent such incidents, healthcare organizations should implement more robust privacy protocols through routine training of all employees, using secure envelopes and safeguarding patient data on a need-to-know basis. Healthcare organizations must make data privacy and security a top priority to prevent future breaches of sensitive healthcare information. Link to the article is available here. [https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/aetna-settles-hiv-medication-privacy-breach-for-17-million.html].
