Investigate safeguards and decision-making support tools embedded in patient care technologies and information systems
Case Study: A 65-year-old woman was just been diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. She was informed of this diagnosis in her primary care physician's office. She leaves her physician's office and goes home to review all of her tests and lab results with her family. She goes home and logs into her PHR. She is only able to pull up a portion of her test results. She calls her physician's office with this concern. The office staff discussed that she had part of her lab work completed at a lab not connected to the organization, part was completed at the emergency room, and part was completed in the lab that is part of the doctor's office organization.
The above scenario might be a scenario that you have commonly worked with in clinical practice. For many reasons, patients often receive healthcare from multiple organizations that might have different systems.
As you review this scenario, reflect and answer these questions for this discussion.
What are the pros and cons of the situation in the case study?
What safeguards are included in patient portals and PHRs to help patients and healthcare professionals ensure safety?
Do you agree or disagree with the way that a patient obtains Personal Health Records (PHRs)?
What are challenges for patients that do not have access to all of the PHRs? Remember, only portions of the EHRs are typically included in the PHRs
Sample Solution
Pros and Cons of the Situation
Pros:
- Patient Engagement: The patient attempts to access her test results through the PHR, demonstrating interest in her health information.
- Potential for Improved Communication: Having a PHR could facilitate communication between patient and doctor by allowing easier access to some medical data.
Full Answer Section
Cons:- Incomplete Data:The PHR only contains partial information, hindering the patient's ability to understand her diagnosis and potentially causing anxiety.
- Fragmented Care:Receiving care from multiple providers with disconnected systems creates data silos, making it difficult to get a holistic view of the patient's health.
- Potential for Errors:Inconsistencies in data across different systems could lead to errors in diagnosis or treatment.
- Access Controls:Usernames, passwords, and multi-factor authentication help ensure only authorized users can access records.
- Audit Logs:Track who accesses records and when, promoting accountability and preventing unauthorized access.
- Data Encryption:Protects sensitive health information while stored or transmitted electronically.
- Passive:Patients are often given access to a PHR upon request or during an office visit.
- Disadvantage:This can be a slow and reactive approach, and some patients might not be aware of or prioritize getting a PHR.
- Opt-Out:Patients would automatically have a PHR created, with the option to opt-out if they choose.
- Incentives:Encourage PHR adoption through incentives like easier appointment scheduling or medication refills.
- Limited Understanding of Health:Incomplete data can hinder a patient's ability to understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and overall health status.
- Increased Uncertainty:Lack of complete information can lead to anxiety and difficulty making informed healthcare decisions.
- Difficulties in Communication:Disjointed records can make communication between different healthcare providers less efficient.