Concepts Raised by the Case Study
Among the paramount concepts learnt in class that are evident in this case is the issue of responsibility. For Google to convince the populace that it can effectively handle their medical records, it must take the responsibility to guarantee secrecy of medical records. The company must also take responsibility to ensure that only the authorized persons have access to the digital medical records. Another major issue raised in the case study is the issue of accountability. A good system should have the ability to ascertain who in particular executed a specific task (Kuehn, 2008). A health system such as Google health must have features that guarantee accountability due to the sensitive nature of medical records (Abdelhak, Grostick, Hanken & Jacobs, 2008). The other issue covered in the chapter and is evident in this case is the issue of liability. The concept of liability calls for taking responsibility of any happening that may occur due to the problem with the system. Google must be ready to assume liability for its health system. It should be in a position to ensure that the data contained in this system remains private. In case this issue is violated, the company must be ready to offer remedy to the affected parties.
The studied chapter identifies five moral dimensions, three of which are of paramount importance to this case study. The first moral dimension that is of great relevance is the concept Information rights and obligations. Since the case deals with sensitive medical information, Google must take the responsibility of ensuring that access to this information is reserved to the right people. The system must have accountability and control measures that would ensure that every action in the system can be attributed to a specific user. Accountability and controls can be guaranteed by ensuring that the quality of the system is of the highest standards.
As far as stakeholders are concerned, there are several stakeholders that are involved in this case study. The Stakeholders in this case are the patients as well as other health care consumers. The health care providers such as nurses, doctors and other support staff in the hospital environment such as social workers also form another category of stakeholders. Besides the identified stakeholders, all businesses that are associated with the health care industry are vital stakeholder. These include the insurance companies that may use the information to determine the premiums charged and the pharmaceutical companies that may individualize their advertisement towards a specific need of customers.
Problems with current medical recording system and ways to eliminate them
The current medical record keeping system in America may not fair as being the best in that it faces a lot of challenges in dispensing its mandate of service delivery. The problem arises from the fact that the current medical record keeping system is manually done. This handicaps the system in that in-case of emergencies, a patient may get into a more serious state or even succumb to death due to the immense time taken for the retrieval of his/her file (Kuehn, 2008). These should not be the case especially in a situation where time translates to be a choice between life and death. With increasing number of personal contacts with the physician and a growing population, the manual system becomes clogged which leads to poor delivery of services and at its extreme is the fact that the system cannot keep track of its patient’s health records either due to loss or misplacement (Lobalsamo, 2009).
The manual record keeping system hinders clients from transferring from one medical provider to another due to the simple fact that his/her medical records cannot be accessed electronically. This is not only dangerous in case of patients who are brought in the emergency wing, but also to the emergency response team. At times it may render the emergency response team ineffective in trying to resuscitate a patient who may be allergic to certain drugs. Transfer of files and medical data calls for the adoption and setting up of an electronic system which will cut down on time spent locating client’s files and disseminating the correct response towards the clients’ ailment. In conclusion it is of paramount importance for the American medical record keeping system to adopt an online system to boost its service delivery (Abdelhak et al, 2008).
Critical factors in the creation of an electronic medical records system
For the American medical record keeping system to be transformed to adopt the electronic mode, then it needs the management approval and assistance inform of policy formulation. These can be achieved by the management investing in a new and efficient electronic record keeping system. Although the American health care system faces various challenges in form of resources and funding, the management can seek funding through joint collaboration with other medical stakeholders such as pharmaceutical companies and other cooperation companies. The management in American hospitals can also get funding by pressuring the state government to fund the electronic record keeping system (Johns, 2006). At the present moment some corporations like Google who in 2008 developed a system that would ease the medical record keeping system by formulating a health profile for medication, conditions and allergies.
Google managed to integrate the software system with other systems such that the system can take information from the integrated systems. However, the system has faced considerable number of criticism and objections from the public who are concerned about privacy of their health information. Online medical data has also raised the issue of job security. The main ethical concern regarding online medical databases and job security is the fear that classified information may fall into the hands of a potential employer, or a current employer. If one suffers from a terminal illness and the same information falls on the hands of a potential employer, it may lead to terminations or failure to be recruited. The possible security lapse associated with the online medical databases such as Google health is the unauthorized access to the classified information that may lead people to lose their insurance benefits. Other software companies have developed systems that have enhanced the organization of medical record keeping such as Microsoft venture health vault which almost factions in the manner as that of Google. Both systems including others have been adopted by the American healthcare system, but still facing similar challenges of information privacy (Puisis, 2006).
In conclusion for efficient service delivery by hospitals in the United States of America in the case of medical record keeping, these newly developed electronic systems must improve on technological factors like online access of records, system verification and lastly on-site record review.
Pros and cons of electronic patient records
Due to the shift from Manual medical record keeping systems to electronic systems various pros and cons have been sighted as being impediments to this form of record keeping. The most significant disadvantage of adopting an electronic record keeping system is the issue of privacy of one’s medical records. Some people and legislators have argued that, one’s medical condition is a confidential matter that should not be placed online for any medical institution to pull it from the web. This undermines the rule of doctor-patient confidentiality. Doctor-patient confidentiality stipulates that a patient’s medical condition should not be discussed by any other party without the consent’s consent. Doctor patient confidentiality is legally binding (Abdelhak et al, 2008). Others have gone further to argue that the disclosure of ones health records may in turn be used as a form of discrimination where one may be denied certain things such as employment, privileges at certain places such as restaurants in case other people know about your medical condition. Lastly, the other major impediment that may arise is that of people fearing to lose their medical health insurance because those suffering from terminal diseases may not be insured (Abdelhak et al, 2008).
All these issues raised are of concern, but we must be realistic that over the year’s information privacy has improved tremendously and most corporations and even the government have invested billions of dollars to mitigate privacy violation occurrences. The benefits of the online medical records outweigh the raised concerns. The adoption of an electronic medical record keeping will not only enhance service delivery, but will save lives (Eisenberg, 2005).
Should people entrust Google Company with electronic record keeping system?
Once the digitization of medical records has taken place, Google Company, a re-known search engine in the world is most likely to be entrusted with keeping the medical records of individuals. Here are the reasons why this blue chip company should be entrusted with this hyper-sensitive task. First Google possess the required technical competency on data security, integration and absolute data authentication. With experience spanning several years in online content provision, the company must have developed various checks and balances that would ensure that it effectively delivers the health solutions that meet the required security standards. Therefore, these capabilities put Google Company on the upper hand of digitalizing the medical records that are availed to it from the medical centers in the US and making this information available online while at the same time, guaranteeing security. This security will be attained if Google Company will limit the accessibility of the medical records. This will be achieved if the company makes sure that only authorized people can gain access to these records. This will eliminate the possibility of unauthorized people obtaining some medical information of a particular patient and passing it to other unauthorized third parties (Carter, 2008).
However, on the other hand, a number of people have argued against digitizing of medical records. This mistrust has been based on their belief that this process will result in poor doctor–patient relationship that is fundamental in healthcare system. Another reason that leads to distrust is the possible loss of privacy (Carter, 2008).
Fundamental features that the electronic recording keeping system must have
Electronic medical record keeping system has numerous merits. A well- developed system will only be achieved if the following measures are put in place: first the system should incorporate all the relevant stakeholders that include the patients who are seeking treatment by seeking their goodwill. This is because by incorporating these people in the process will make the transition process from the manual to the electronic record keeping system smooth (Carter, 2008). Secondly, it must ascertain the security of the digitalized information. The system should have a unique code that shall be issued to each patient who will allow their information to be available online. This will ensure that patient privacy is maintained as only the owners of these codes will have access to their medical information (Eisenberg, 2005). Thirdly, the system should be programmed in such a way that its features will be smart enough to detect any form of patient information duplication. It should have effective and efficient firewalls that will guarantee that patient information cannot be hacked. The system should have unique patient codes that will make sure that the patient information accessibility is easy and quick. The system should also have features that will give the patient the chance to carry out simple individual diagnostic features so that they can carry out simple and routine monitoring tests of their health status while at the comfort of their homes. The features are not conclusive of an absolute medical recording digitalizing system, but are the most fundamental features that any successful system must have (Eisenberg, 2005).
Reference List
Abdelhak, M., Grostick, S., Hanken M., A. and Jacobs E., 2008, Health information: management of a strategic resource. Chicago: Elsevier.
Carter, J., H. 2008. Electronic health records: a guide for clinicians and administrators. New York: ACP Press.
Eisenberg, J. 2005. Building an electronic records archive at the National Archives and Records Administration: recommendations for a long-term strategy. New York: National Academies Press.
Johns, M., L. 2006. Information management for health professions Health information management series. 2nd Ed. Upper Saddle River: Cengage Learning.
Kuehn, L. 2008. Health Information Management: Medical Record Processes in Group Practice. New York: Cage
Lobalsamo, L. 2009. The Only Prescription for Healthcare Reform: A Physician’s Inside. New York: AuthorHouse.
Puisis, M. 2006. Clinical practice in correctional medicine. New York: Elsevier Health Sciences.