DQ 3-1

Gun control has become a vastly more important issue in 2018 following the Florida school shooting massacre and many others. While some Americans are willing to restrict access to guns, others prone the violation of the second amendment that stated that people have the right to keep and bear arms and that right can't be undermined or violated.

It was for the same argument that president Donald Trump told the conservative Political Action Conference in March and I quote: "don't get complacent, don't get complacent" if democrats win control of Congress in November, they will take away your second Amendment- which we will never allow it to happen."

This is very delicate matter for public administrator, as they should promote democratic participation in maintaining social order by assisting those victims of gun violence, they should also enforce social equity by protection our rights and freedom even to bear and keep arms. Public administrators have the obligation to serve people rights by seeking their constitutional protection under the second amendment.

But gun control is a debating issue for public administrators because as they vow to respect rights and freedom to bear arms; they also vow to assist people victim of gun violence because the second amendment violate and endanger public safety.

References:

US News. (2018). Gun Control "Sea Change" Will Get a Big Test in Critical Midterm Elections.

Public Administration Review. (2015) American Society for Public Administration Code of Ethics.

Watkins, C. (n.d). Gun Control: The Debate and Public Policy.

2. Topic 3 DQ 1

EHR and HIPAA Policy

In today's health care market, there's a growing disconnect between EHRs (Electronic Health Record) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance.

The misconceptions surrounding requirements for EHRs and HIPAA compliance under the law have lead many health care professionals into hot water with HIPAA breaches and violation fines. Both are essential parts of running a successful business in health care. EHR platforms give your practice a secure, care-focused means of maintaining protected health information (PHI), such as patient records.

HIPAA regulation mandates that health care providers comply with national privacy and security standards to safeguard PHI. PHI is any demographic information that can be used to identify a patient. Examples include: names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, insurance information, phone numbers, full facial photos, and health care records, to name a few examples. Under HIPAA regulation, EHR data is necessarily considered PHI because of the amount of sensitive demographic information collected and stored in EHR platforms.

EHR providers, therefore, must be HIPAA compliant in order to protect clients' health care data from security incidents and government fines. Many misconceptions surround the relationship between HIPAA and EHRs, though. Even though an EHR vendor may be HIPAA compliant, that doesn't mean that, the organization using the EHR platform is compliant as well. End-users of EHR platforms must have their own unique HIPAA compliance programs in place in their organization in order to satisfy the law and keep patients' data safe.

Potential threat of security breach exists when confidential health information is made available to others without the individual's consent or authorization. Two recent incidents at Howard University Hospital, Washington showed that inadequate data security can affect a large number of people.

On May 14, 2013, federal prosecutors charged one of the hospital's medical technicians with violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Prosecutors said that over a 17-month period, Laurie Napper used her position at the hospital to gain access to patients' names, addresses and Medicare numbers in order to sell their information.

Ethics in public administration are important for good business conduct based on the needs of a specific town, state or country. Ethics provide accountability between the public and the administration. Adhering to a code of ethics ensures that the public receives what it needs in a fair manner. It also gives the administration guidelines for integrity in their operations.

That integrity, in turn, helps foster the trust of the community. By creating this atmosphere of trust, the administration helps the public understand that they are working with their best interests in mind.

Additionally, a code of ethics creates standards of professionalism that co-workers in the public sector can expect from each other - the public can also expect the same from their leaders. With a strong code of ethics in public administration, leaders have the guidelines they need to carry out their tasks and inspire their employees and committees to enforce laws in a professional and equitable manner.

Compliancy Group (2017). The Gap Between EHR and HIPAA Compliance

Ozair, F. F., Jamshed, N., Sharma, A., & Aggarwal, P. (2015). Ethical issues in electronic health records: A general overview. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 6(2), 73-76.

UTA (2016). THE IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

3. Establishing a code of ethics surrounding an issue such as the death penalty could be very challenging for a public administrator. Using the code of ethics relevant to public administrators, the ethical position I would choose to take would be very complex.

I would need to follow and support the state law obviously but I would frame my position based around the American Society for Public Administration Code of Ethics #2 - Uphold the Constitution and the Law. I can do this by upholding the law regarding the death penalty while seeing to improve laws and policies related to the death penalty as well as promoting public good (Public Administration Review, 2015).

To further my position regarding the death penalty, a simpler question must be asked - why are there any punishments or consequences for breaking the law anyway? To ethically support my position, I would have to say punishment - in any and all forms - serves as a deterrence or even retribution for the crime.

Punishment also provides the "basic idea that the punishment should make the wrong-doer understand what he or she has done wrong and inspire her to repent and reform" (Howard, 2015). This code of ethics is appropriate as it supports the law while informing the public and also promoting affirmation while reducing any injustice.

Howard, J. (2015). Death Penalty: is Capital Punishment Morally Justified?

(2015, July). American Society for Public Administration Code of Ethics. Public Administration Review. p. 510. doi:10.1111/puar.12417.