Privacy and Confidentiality Report
Based on the case study, it is palpable that ABC Health Systems has various loopholes that need to be addressed immediately. The gaps can not only diminish the reputation of the organization but further impede their growth and success. A plan of action is, therefore, an indispensable way of ensuring that the company has averted the violations that have been mentioned in the case study. Additionally, it will go a long way in enabling the company to abide by all the stipulated laws and regulations. Abiding by the procedural requirements will further heighten the success of the organization through the improvement of its services.
ABC Health Systems made three fundamental legal and regulatory compliance violations. The first violation was the fact that the organization failed to protect the patient’s data and information. Secondly, the organization allowed illegal access to information and data by unauthorized personnel. Thirdly, there was an unlawful divulgence and commercialization of patient information without their consent. The three violations affirm that the organization failed to comply with the stipulated HIPAA laws and regulations and thereby exposing critical patients’ data to the public, which is not only wrong but also unlawful. The organization management was the cause of failure since it exhibited little understanding of the existing laws and regulations, such as the HIPAA laws (Hosek & Straus, 2013).
HIPAA is primarily mandated with the task of ensuring that health organizations comply with health privacy regulations. Also, the organization is mandated with the task of investigating various incidents, where the breach of privacy rights may have occurred. Furthermore, the organization ensures that the rights of the patients are protected under federal regulations and laws.
Patients have the right to privacy concerning the medical condition. The doctors, hospital management, and relevant health agencies should preserve the rights of the patients as a way of making informed decisions regarding patient care. The patient’s information should not be divulged to unauthorized persons (Medicine, 2006).
Various potential risk management issues can emerge as a result of the violations. Some of the risks include legal suits against the organization and the health workers. Additionally, the organization can also face the risk of closure if it is found to have violated crucial health laws. It can also face closure if the actions of the health organization hamper the wellbeing of the patients.
Plan of Action
The basic plan, therefore, which can be implemented to avert these violations in the future, will include the following. The first plan will be to ensure that all the computer systems, which stores critical patients’ data, are encrypted with strong passwords, which will only be available to a few authorized personnel. The second plan should be to punish the employees who exposed the patients’ information to the public. The move above will serve as a lesson to the other employees who may think of doing the same. The third plan, which is the most important, will be to initiate stringent policies that will be aimed at protecting the patients’ information. The fourth plan will be to conduct HIPAA tests every three months. The move will go a long way in ensuring that the company is complying with all the stipulated laws and regulations as defined by HIPAA.
In conclusion, it is evident from this study that a plan of action is an effective way of solving the violations mentioned above. Patients have a right to be protected, and it is, therefore, the responsibility of the organization to ensure that this right is safeguarded. Constant HIPAA assessments and stringent policies are some of the measures that should be taken to avert these violations in the future.