Page 28 - Part 2 Navigating Electronic Media in a Healthcare Setting

SVMIC Navigating Electronic Media in a Healthcare Setting

family member, that the other person can access the patient’s PHI.
This conversation should take place at the outset, and the patient

should sign a form acknowledging that he or she has been so

informed.

The Person or Entity Authentication standard of the HIPAA

Security Rule requires that the covered entities and business
associates implement “reasonable and appropriate” authentication

procedures to verify that a person or entity seeking access to

electronic health information is the one claimed. Since the Security
Rule applies, the patient portal must be included in the practice’s

required Security Risk Analysis. As with other forms of internet-
based electronic communication, the portal can be the target of

cybercrime, and through the Security Risk Analysis, the practice
must establish administrative, physical and technical safeguards to

protect the ePHI.

The primary negative aspect of portals is that some patients either
cannot or will not use them. This could be because of many

reasons:

 They feel intimidated by the technology.

 They do not have access to a computer.

 They simply have no interest in taking advantage of the
system.

Many elderly patients do not use portals. Also, most portals are
only English-language based, and for patients whose primary

language is not English, this can create a barrier. The practice

must identify the patients who do not use the portal and, at each
interaction, encourage them to use it by explaining the benefits

and how it allows the patient to be better informed and more

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