Carolina Mendoza
HCS/335
4/13/2015
Robert Vella
Administrative Ethics Paper There are many issues that trouble the health care industry. The technological revolution that has been taking place the last 20 years has not only taken the healthcare industry by storm, and revolutionized it, but it also has made it take a closer look at its privacy laws. “Patient’s rights are those basic rule of conduct between patient and medical care givers as well as institutions and people that support them” (Davis 2013).Being able to provide patient confidentiality is essential and crucial in establishing a long lasting relationship with patients. In this essay I will explain the importance of that bond and what happens when that …show more content…
The drastic change to electronic data has cut hospital costs, yet has made it easier to access patient’s data with a click of a button. The department of health and human services serves as the major enforcer of HIPPA violations. Other centers such as Medicare and Medicaid enforce security code. Rick Kam expressed his concerns when he stated that the issues facing patient privacy were the legislative gaps, lack of trust, and lack of patient’s control. “With paper record’s, control was rarely an issue, as data exchange was point to point.”(Kam 2012). Although technology has improved and expanded the healthcare field far beyond it was ever imaginable. It has brought about many issues about patient privacy. Kam goes on to suggest that “the lack of privacy causes bad health outcomes. Millions of people every year avoid treatment because they know health data is not private.” (Kam 2012). I think he has a reason to a certain extent. The problem does not lie on who access the information, but how and what it is used for without the patients consent. There are so many different things people can do with another’s information. Identity theft is a very popular crime that costs Americans billions of dollars annually. In the hospital setting employees can access the patients information in there data base. Searches should be closely monitored and access limited in certain cases and to certain employees. The Health care industry is one that is held up by different standards than other industries. They are not only held up to high moral, and ethical standards but they also assume harsher legal consequences. According to the HIPPA website fines can range anywhere from $100 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. “A privacy rule infraction can be considered criminal and may lead to prosecution by the department of justice if someone deliberately acquires