Tamara Cordova
HCS/490
February 26, 2013
Tina Folk-Cromartie
Communications Paper
The communication modality is Electronic Medical Records (EMR). The EMR provides benefits to the patients such as better communication with providers. EMR helps provide information quicker and making access to information more accessible. There are some issues with privacy, such as HIPAA privacy, but it is becoming fixed rapidly. EMR opens up opportunity for social networking and media opportunities. The EMR markets health care and the services available with broader audiences. In this paper these topics will be discussed.
“Patient doctor communication (PDC) is most powerful, encompassing, and versatile instruments available to the physician” (Shachak & Reis, n.p. 2009). The benefits offer to the patient is helping to share better understanding between patients and the doctors. The EMR had “positive influence on exchange of medical information” (Shachak & Reis, n.p. 2009). EMR helps patients to feel confident in asking questions and feeling there was accomplishments at the end of his or her appointment. The patients can login online with his or her provider and have communications with the clinic. For example, make appointments, see health history, current medications, and ask questions. EMRs are beneficial to patients. One aspect relating to values and importance of maintaining patient confidentiality when using EMR communication is the aspect of confidentiality for EMR. In regard to Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA), the privacy issues are there. An example would be “A psychiatrist from New Hampshire was fined $1,000 for repeatedly looking at the medical records of an acquaintance without permission. Because there was no state law making it a crime to breach the confidentiality of medical records, the case was brought under a law against misusing a computer. [“Psychiatrist Convicted of Snooping in Records,” The
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