Information Technology and Ethical Issues

Information system technology has made patient care safer and more reliable than ever before. Health care professionals now record their patients’ detailed medical history and are accustomed to checking treatment plans, lab results, medications, and other patient data. While this electronic archiving gives patients and caregivers easy access to critical health information, it also ushers in a host of legitimate concerns regarding patient privacy.

Identify an information system technology that enhanced quality in your organization, and discuss the related ethical issues that can arise. Select a technology with which you have had the first-hand experience and about which you had ethical concerns.

Why the technology was implemented or improved upon.
How was the interprofessional team involved in the discussion about ethical considerations before or during the implementation of the information system?
Discuss how patient privacy can be violated if protocols are not followed correctly.
What impact would these violations have on you, your colleagues, and your facility?
What specific actions do you take to assure patient privacy with information system use?