Introduction
Mobile technologies have substantially enhanced access to healthcare informatics and patient health information. Portable wireless devices include notebooks, tablet computers, cellphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and thumb drives.
Use of Mobile Access to Healthcare Informatics in the Clinical Setting
Medical staff in my clinical setting frequently use iPhones and laptop computers. According to Kathooria (2017), using mobile devices in the clinical setting has several benefits, such as improved point-of-care coordination, seamless data flow, direct patient management, increased physician efficiency, improved diagnostic accuracy, convenience, customization, and real-time communication.
Concerns Related to the Use of Mobile Access to Healthcare Informatics
Theft of a mobile device is an issue associated with using mobile access devices. Unauthorized access to private patient data might come from theft. Mobile devices can spread viruses and worms to the hospital network they connect to, in addition to being stolen. Through wireless data transmission, it is also possible for confidential patient information to be stolen. Unauthorized individuals can intercept wireless communications.
Ensuring Privacy or Confidentiality
Security cables, motion detectors, or alarms should be utilized to prevent theft and secure mobile healthcare informatics systems (Hebda & Czar, 2019). In addition, the item can be protected and kept when not in use by using a lockable storage container, like a briefcase. Additional security precautions include:
- Using passwords to access the device upon startup.
- Encrypting the hard drive.
- Using automatic sign-off methods.
Zipped, password-protected folders can also be used to hold individual files.
Example of a Patient’s Security Breach and its Prevention
In February 2020, there was an instance of a security breach involving the usage of mobile access to healthcare technology. According to Health Sharing of Oregon, a laptop was taken from the vendor who provided non-emergent medical transportation. Names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, social security numbers, and patient Health Share ID numbers were among the personal data stored on the device (Jercich, 2020). If the device had been kept in a protected storage device when not in use or had password protection for accessing the device and its contents, this theft might have been avoided.
Conclusion
When healthcare professionals use mobile devices to access patient healthcare information, information access is improved, workflow procedures are improved, and evidence-based practices are promoted (Hebda & Czar, 2019). To guarantee patient information is safeguarded, it is crucial to apply the same precautions to individual mobile devices applied to healthcare informatics systems.
References
Hebda, T. L., & Czar, P. (2019).Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (5ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
Jercich, K. (2020). The biggest healthcare data breaches reported in 2020. Healthcare IT News. Web.
Kathooria, M. (2017). 8 benefits of mobile devices in healthcare that you need to know. Kays Harbor Technologies. Web.