Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security Issues

Loss of data, theft, and penetration of system safeguards are the main ways in which large scale electronic data can be compromised. With the increasing use of digital and electronic information technologies in health care, it is more important than ever to safe guard against these types of safety issues.

Reflect on your reading from this week, and then address the following:

• Describe at least one event where privacy or confidentiality or security of client data was violated.
• How do you know which type of violation occurred (privacy, confidentiality, security)? If a computer-based information system contributed to the violation, explain how.
• Name one information or data security issue that you see as the greatest obstacle to using electronic or computerized information technology in health care.

Support your ideas or those of others with references from the professional nursing literature.