Organizational Responsibility and Current Health Care Issues

Organizational Responsibility and Current Health Care Issues

Raquel Carter

HCS545

January 14th, 2013

Virginia Henkels

Organizational Responsibility and Current Health Care Issues

Introduction

The health care sector is characterized by numerous current issues including privacy concerns, negligence, and fraud among others. Addressing such issues is extremely pivotal toward the enhancement of health care standards in the United States. Organizational responsibility is among the most significant issues that would help in alleviating different health care challenges such as fraud and negligence. In the absence of such frameworks, organizations cannot attain the relevant standards of responsibility.

This paper focuses on the violation of HIPAA privacy framework by the Hospice of North Idaho. This will comprise of a description of the health care situation and how the organizational structure influenced what happened. Consequently, this will form a framework for making effective recommendations for averting such situations. Additionally, the analysis focuses on the different ethical perspectives in view of the HIPAA privacy violation by the Hospice of North Idaho.

Health Care News Situation

In June 2010, the Health and Human Services (HHS) department received a complaint from the Hospice of North Idaho pertaining to the theft of a computer. Apparently, the laptop contained confidential information about more than 400 patients in the hospice. In essence, the information of patients under hospice care should be treated with utmost confidentiality. The privacy provisions under the HIPAA framework are strict with regard to handling patient records. This applies to both manual and electronic records. However, the theft of the laptop from this hospice resulted in a violation of HIPAA guidelines on privacy.

Although the information in this computer had been encrypted, it was never recovered. In view of this event, the HHS department conducted comprehensive investigations (Ruoff, 2013). Based on its findings, the HHS department concluded that the hospice had violated numerous provisions of the policy framework with regard to privacy. The hospice had not established an effective framework for safeguarding patients' records. Additionally, the structural framework of the hospice did not have adequate platforms for preventing the access of patients' records by unauthorized parties. In the absence of organizational responsibility, it was difficult for the hospice to prevent such an occurrence.

Based on the findings by the HHS department, the hospice did not have an effective framework for security analysis. This is a breach of the strict privacy provisions of the health care policy framework. The organization's procedures and policies did not facilitate for adequate security for information in electronic devices. Portable electronic devices, such as laptops are highly prone to security pitfalls such as fraud or unauthorized access (Annas, 2003). However, the structural framework in this hospice did not consider these kinds of security pitfalls. In the wake of these violations, authorities imposed a hefty fine of $50,000 (Ruoff, 2013). By fining the hospice, authorities also intended to warn other health care organizations about violating the different stipulations of the privacy policy.

This case presents a sensitive health care issue with regard to the maintenance of confidentiality while handling electronic health records. Although such cases are significantly minimal, the implementation of electronic health systems in many health care organizations will form a platform for a greater number of similar cases. Consequently, health care organizations must establish effective policies for averting these kinds of situations. This is because electronic health records are integral components of the current health care environment.

Influence of the Organizational Structure and Governance

There are various factors that contributed toward the HIPAA privacy violation issue in the Hospice of North Idaho. However, the organizational structure of this hospice had extensive influence upon the breach of security. Based on the findings presented by authorities, the hospice did not have adequate policies for safeguarding patient information. The successful implementation of the privacy framework is dependent on the capability of an institution to establish effective policies. However, such policies had not been established at the Hospice of North Idaho (Ruoff, 2013). Consequently, this exposed the organization to extensive security risks, especially with regard to the privacy of patient records.

The organizational structure of the Hospice of North Idaho did not perform any form of security analysis on its information framework. In the absence of adequate mechanisms for security analysis, it was increasingly difficult for the hospice to identify potential risks as pertains to patient data. It is essential to highlight that the information in the laptop had been encrypted. Although encryption is an excellent approach for information security, it does not protect portable devices from theft. The laptop was stolen from a vehicle. This indicates that the organizational structure of the hospice did not have sufficient platforms for protecting its assets. The lack of focus on social responsibility serves as another factor that contributed toward the breach of the privacy policy by the Hospice of North Idaho.

All health care organizations are required to have adequate frameworks for social responsibility. Without social responsibility, it is extremely difficult for an organization to maintain the relevant standards of privacy (Blumenthal, 2010). Social responsibility