All healthcare facilities depend on computer information systems. The systems must protect all patient and other important hospital data. Access to patient data is protected by firewalls built into the hospital’s computer system. This does not assure that the systems may not be hacked and data lost or compromised from a breach of the system. The Joint Commission’s sentinel event alert included the following risk factors related to technology: a) inadequate technology planning; b) overreliance on vendor advice, without oversight of an objective third party; c) failure to carefully plan and integrate workflow processes related to the use of technology, and d) failure to update, upgrade, and fit technology, resulting in potentially hazardous workarounds.
Aligned to ULO(s)
ULO1: Assess the risks associated with telemedicine technology (CLO4, CLO5)
ULO2: Explore state and federal regulations affecting to telemedicine (CLO2)
ULO3: Discuss the importance of data security in healthcare information technology (CLO4)
Discussion Due Dates
Criteria Online Students Blended Students
Initial post By Wednesday at 11:59 P.M., CT. Five (5) hours prior to the scheduled class session.
Two peer responses By Sunday at 11:59 P.M., CT.
Directionsnitial Post
INTRODUCTION
All healthcare facilities depend on computer information systems. The systems must protect all patient and other important hospital data. Access to patient data is protected by firewalls built into the hospital’s computer system. This does not assure that the systems may not be hacked and data lost or compromised from a breach of the system. The Joint Commission’s sentinel event alert included the following risk factors related to technology: a) inadequate technology planning; b) overreliance on vendor advice, without oversight of an objective third party; c) failure to carefully plan and integrate workflow processes related to the use of technology, and d) failure to update, upgrade, and fit technology, resulting in potentially hazardous workarounds.
Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication technology for medical diagnosis and patient care to sites that are at a distance from the provider. Telemedicine approaches exist and are evolving as states and regions with large rural populations establish telemedicine systems and provide funding for telemedicine projects. Although improvements in technology have led to revitalization of interest in telemedicine, its viability will be shaped not only by technology advances, but by reimbursement policies adopted by public and private payers.
Telemedicine carries a host of risk management, and legal and regulatory issues that must be identified and resolved. One of the first hurdles is the state-based physician licensure system, which runs counter to telemedicine’s “virtual” boundaries. The rules for licensure by endorsement and out-of-state consultations vary among the states and pose barriers to development of interstate systems.
DIRECTIONS
Assume that you are a Risk Manager at a large healthcare system in the city where you reside. The Internal Medicine Department would like to create a telemedicine network for primary care services that crosses state lines. The health care system Board of Directors gave its approval for this initiative.
Prepare a memorandum addressing the risks that need to be mitigated when planning and implementing the new telemedicine network. Consider this telemedicine initiative on the state and national level. Address the issue of credentialing of physicians who would need to be granted telemedicine privileges. Since the Internal Medicine Department would like to create a telemedicine network that crosses state lines, this raises uncertainty about the jurisdiction in which a malpractice suit may be filed and what state law should be applied. To illustrate, different statutes of limitation or different statutory limitations on the amount of financial compensation (or so called in the legal field “medmal cap”) that can be awarded to successful plaintiffs may apply. Consider HIPAA regulations concerning protection of patient information. Note the location (city and state) of your hypothetical healthcare system at the top portion of your memo. Research and use state specific applicable regulations.
The document should be prepared as a practical business deliverable (single-spaced) and reflect higher-level cognitive processing (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
Support the memo posting with at least 3 references of credible or peer-reviewed sources. The in-text citations and the list of references should be consistent with the APA writing style (7th ed.). The overall quality of the writing should be consistent with that expected of a college student and industry professional.
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