Question

• Do you believe that the medical industry embraces the use of new technology faster or slower than other industries and why?

• Those that work within the information security / information systems arena have access to a wide array of confidential and proprietary information. What are some ethical issues that could be faced while working in this environment and how should concerns be addressed?

• Businesses that develop all types of software typically have a large base of programmers that work and develop the software sold. Before the programmers begin work they typically have to sign an agreement that states the programs develop become intellectual property of the business. Is this an ethical issue? Why do businesses require programmers to sign such agreements?

• Broad use of information systems has made identity theft a common occurrence. What are things that everyone should do to try and minimize the threat of identity theft? Is there anything that can provide 100% assurance that ID theft won’t happen?

Answer 1

Healthcare industry adopt the technology relatively slower than Other industries as equipments used in the Healthcare facilities are widely tested to be reliable. This type of equipment and technological advancement that relates with the people's life, intensive Research and testing make it slower in terms of adoption to the Healthcare facilities.
Advancement in medicine manufacturing as well as different tools and Technology which are developed to create a better and intuitive working environment for the Healthcare facilities and provision of Healthcare to the patients such as electronic health record systems are relatively slower than Other industries.

Signing a contract for developing software for a company in which the software belongs to the company is not an ethical issue as this is required for the company that the software should not be stolen and used by the employees for developing it. Company is paying a proper compensation to the Employees for developing their product which is ethically correct and the employees are being paid for creating the product on which they are working for the company. This type of agreement creates a security for the company that its funds are not lost or the software is not misused by the developers.

Some of the main ethical issues include data leak and identity theft which could be used against the patient or the consumer which was stored in electronic health record. Issues regarding ethical perspective of the society such as data being used for harming a person or records being distributed for mass data analysis are some of the main ethical issues which are involved in the society and should be avoided.

Implementing electronic health record into the system could give competitive advantage to the Healthcare organisations it's been implemented in. Electronic health record systems are very essential for today's Healthcare organisation as they increase the overall support of the structure and provides a very good system for storing and managing the Healthcare a record more efficiently.

Maintaining the privacy of the Healthcare record system these factors should be kept in mind.

Using certified equipments.

Using certified equipment for the electronic health record system would definitely increase the privacy concerns regarding manufacturer data theft as well as it would also provide a better back and support for the organisation.

Limited access

Record system should only provided to the person who is required to access the specific type of data. Different passwords as well as security authentication should be used to maintain privacy of the data as nobody else other than the required professional could access the Healthcare record regarding a patient.

Secure network

For electronic health record system, secure network should be used to ensure the privacy regarding the storage of the data inside the system. Using a secure network would definitely increase the overall privacy of the data in the Healthcare network.

Beginning the security of the Healthcare network is very essential to overcome any situation regarding the data theft as well as losing the control over the electronic health record system.
following solutions could be used.

Using well known service

By using well known and trustable supplier for the electronic Healthcare management system inside an organisation, overall level of security could be widely increased. Implementing the reputed electronic health record systems would definitely help an organisation to maintain their highest security levels as the reputed electronic health record system are very well known for protecting data as well as better possibility.

Training employees.

Training employees about using electronic health record system efficiently would be very beneficial for an organisation as it would definitely increase the level of understanding of the employees towards the Healthcare management system which would result in better security in terms of security breach.

EHR isolation

Isolating the electronic health record system from the mainstream internet would definitely eliminate the fear of data been stolen by the hackers. Isolating the electronic health record system from the mainstream internet would also be beneficial in managing and providing high speed networking system using intranet.

By using above solutions and Organisation can easily increase the level of privacy and security for the electronic health record systems.

Nothing could provide hundred percent Assurance of no identity theft. By using other factors overall effect of The Identity theft could be reduced but it cannot be hundred percent remove from the information systems. For reducing the factor of Identity theft above ideas can be easily used and implemented into the system.

Reference -

https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/guide-privacy-and-security-electronic-health-information

http://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/2012/09/stas1-1209.html