Reference no: EM133633729

Homework: HIPAA and Electronic Medical Records

An electronic medical record (EMR) is a digital version of a paper medical chart that contains a patient's medical history. EMRs offer providers and patients increased access to information and assist in the coordination of care. In hospitals, EMRs are particularly useful because each member of the health care team is able to monitor a patient's progress across disciplines. A medical social worker, for example, is able to read, in real time, the note of every physician, nurse, or therapist who has seen a patient.

To maintain HIPAA compliance, institutions have strict policies that restrict access to EMRs. These policies require computers and networks to be secure, ensuring that only authorized users can access protected health information. So, who is an authorized user, and in what circumstances?

In this Homework, you explore this question as you consider HIPAA in the context of EMRs.

To prepare:

A. Review the Learning Resources on HIPAA and access to electronic medical records. Consider the situations in which social workers have legal right to access EMRs, and in which scenarios they do not.

B. Reflect on the implications of HIPAA for medical social workers.

Task

Submit a 2 to 3 pages paper in which you:

Question A. Explain how the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules apply to electronic medical records. Then, address the following questions and explain your reasoning:

Question 1. Should a social worker access the EMR of the patient they have been assigned?
Question 2. Should a social worker access any patient's EMR?
Question 3. Should a social worker access their own EMR?
Question 4. Should a social worker access the EMRs of their family members?

Question B. Explain the positive and negative ramifications HIPAA might have on medical social work practice in clinical settings with regard to handling EMRs.

Question C. Describe the ethical implications of a social worker engaging in unethical practice with EMRs.