Information Sensitivity and Protection of Data Essay

Introduction

In the healthcare sector, the protection of patients' information from unauthorized individuals is of paramount importance. Protection of sensitive health data is imperative in a clinical setting, as it promotes the attainment of positive patients' healthcare outcome. In all medical institutions, protecting the private details of the client is not only a necessity of moral respect but an essentiality mandated to maintain the bonds between physicians and patients. To enforce the protection of sensitive patients' data, policies like the HIPAA have been enacted to mandate compliance of healthcare providers to privacy requirements when handling sensitive patients' information. The essay compares and contrasts the data privacy and security policies of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) with those the Mayo Foundation in respect to their requirements of protecting sensitive data when handling clients.

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Review of the Privacy and Security Policies of BIDMC

BIDMC is a teaching hospital situated in Boston, which is a subsidiary of the Harvard Medical School (BIDMC, 2018). Just in like other medical facilities in the United States, protection of sensitive information on medical clients at the institution is a top priority. The organization has two primary security policies, which are inclusive of the BIDMC Identification and Access Cards as well as the Key and Combination Lock Control Program (BIDMC, 2018). The first policy dictates that all employees of the BIDMC must have a photo identification badge while working at the organization's premises. Also, employees required in controlled areas are issued separate access cards, which must be accompanied by identification badges.

The second policy provides an effective key as well as lock control systems to authorized personnel permitting them to have access to protected hardware and computer systems at the medical facility. Ultimately, the BIDMC adheres to the HIPAA rule, which restricts the manner in which persons' protected health information (PHI) is shared or disclosed by healthcare professionals at the medical facility (Wu, 2007). In this case, the BIDMC ensures that all the personnel working at the institution with clients are sufficiently enlightened on the requirements of the HIPAA policy. That is with the objective of ensuring that there is no infringement of clients' confidentiality through exposure of PHI.

Review of the Privacy and Security Policies of Mayo Foundation

Mayo Foundation is a globally acclaimed charitable and non-for-profit healthcare corporation that has multiple branches all over the world (Plunkett, 2007; Leonard, Berry & Seltman, 2008). In reference to security and privacy policies, the Mayo Foundation protects all its vital data from any form of authorized access, disclosure, modification as well as destruction. Also, all security programs implemented at the foundation exists to offer protection to the interests of the organization's patients. Communication security at the foundation is maintained by ensuring that any form of sensitive data is not transmitted outside the organization. The communication security policies employed depend on the sensitivity of data, external regulations, technical risks as well as communication security controls.

Mayo Foundation also has preventive measures, data backup and data recovery policies that ensure that there is no loss of vital information pertaining to the organization's clients, there is a backup of such data. Also, the Mayo Foundation has information integrity control policies that dictate that all vital information at the organization must remain consistent, complete as well as accurate. The policy also ensures that any inappropriate duplication, omission or intentional modifications are investigated and corrected. Ultimately, any infringement of the data privacy and security policies at the Mayo Foundation is addressed by taking the parties involved before a disciplinary committee.

Comparison and Contrast of the Similarities and Differences

The common obvious themes that can be manifested in the security and privacy policies of both the BIDMC and Mayo Foundation is that of the importance of protecting patients' information in the clinical setting. The policies enacted in both organizations are strict in enforcing compliance of healthcare professionals in protecting confidential patients' data. For instance, in BIDMC, a photo identification badge is required for all personnel while working at the organization's premises. That means that any person who is unauthorized to work in the premises cannot access the institution and potentially compromise important patient's information.

On the other hand, the communication security at the foundation is maintained by ensuring that any form of sensitive data is not transmitted outside the organization. Nevertheless, none of the policies differ significantly between the two organizations. Ultimately, the key security principles that I feel are important in the organization include the Key and Combination Lock Control Program at BIDMC since it filters people accessing essential patients' information at the organization. Contrary, the communication security at the Mayo Foundation is quite imperative because it ensures that none of the sensitive company data is transmitted outside the organization and potentially harming the healthcare outcome of patients.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in the healthcare sector, the protection of patients' information from unauthorized individuals is of paramount importance. Healthcare institutions enforce privacy and security policies aimed at ensuring that there is a form of accountability among healthcare professionals who unethically expose confidential patients' medical information. The BIDMC healthcare institution has two major security policies namely the Identification and Access Cards as well as the Key and Combination Lock Control Program. Also, the institution compliances to the HIPAA government legislation as its privacy policy aimed at ensuring that all clients' information at the corporation is protected. On the other hand, the Mayo Foundation has communication security, information integrity control, and data backup and data recovery privacy and security policies, which are enforced to ensure that all patients data at the organization is protected from an authorized access.

References

Berry, L. L., & Seltman, K. D. (2008). Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the World's Most Admired Service Organizations. New York: McGraw Hill Professional.

BIDMC. (2018). Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Environment of Care Manual. EC-26, 1-9. Retrieved from https://www.bidmc.org/-/media/files/beth-israel-org/facilities/ec-26.ashx?la=en&hash=79F89179BB91FB026F2E003238E77F678AE11187

BIDMC. (2018). With You Every Step of the Way. Retrieved from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: https://www.bidmc.org/

Plunkett, J. W. (2007). Plunkett's Health Care Industry Almanac 2008: The Only Comprehensive Guide To The Health Care Industry. Houston: Plunkett Research, Ltd.

Wu, S. S. (2007). Guide to HIPAA Security and the Law. Washington D.C.: American Bar Association.