Prof. Name

Analyzing a Current Health Care Problem or Issue

Technology advancements have brought a revolution in the field of medical care, improving health outcomes. The use of technology, including Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and telehealth services, also causes severe challenges, such as patients’ data privacy and cyber-security (Siripurapu et al., 2023). Considering the sensitivity of medical information and the growing incidence of security breaches, this issue requires immediate attention and viable solutions.  A comprehensive assessment of these aspects can reveal the problem’s detrimental effect on a patient’s safety (Paul et al., 2023). The assessment investigates the roots and nature of this issue. Furthermore, investigating the ethical implications will be essential to this investigation. The study attempts to provide a complete overview of the problems and opportunities presented by technological improvements to the medical field, highlighting the significance of balance between technological advancement and patient information protection.

Explanation of the Health Care Problem

Efficient management of patient records enables clinicians to organize and evaluate medical data in one database, which can then be shared with appropriate stakeholders. Despite continuous endeavors, the medical industry cannot uphold adequate privacy and security of data (Paul et al., 2023). Health information leaks have become an increasing problem in the medical system. Furthermore, data breaches cost healthcare organizations more than three times as much as other companies. Based on an International Business Machine (IBM) analysis, the standard expense associated with medical information breaches is about $7.1 million (Paul et al., 2023).

The root causes of this problem include security flaws in EHR systems and telehealth services. Recent scholarly research highlights the problem of reconciling technological improvements for medical care with information security and privacy. Kaplan (2020), underlined the legal, social, and ethical implications of technology in medical care, particularly the adoption of telehealth services. The main challenges with using telehealth services are informed consent, data protection and confidentiality, incompetence and accountability, and regulation. Throughout technological advancements, ethical issues such as professional behavior and interactions, patient autonomy protection, multiculturalism, and the dignity of people system are frequently ignored. These characteristics significantly impact the standard of care and patient safety. 

Shah and Khan (2020), asserted the challenges related to EHR use. Clinical information is maintained electronically in an EHR, a hospital’s central data repository. Using EHR records for other uses without authorization raises privacy concerns. Sharing EHR records across departments exposes them to cyber threats and challenges in enforcing privacy regulations, as they can be shared with organizations regulated by regional laws. Individuals’ privacy can be significantly violated if private medical information in EHR is leaked and made public. Private information leakage causes financial strain. The evidence highlights the impact of digital technologies like telemedicine on healthcare, emphasizing the need for cybersecurity measures to protect patient data while advancing technologically (Arafa et al., 2023).

Reasons

Scholarly resources on difficulties associated with technological advancement are critical for identifying and comprehending the complex healthcare challenge. Scholarly studies provide knowledge about using EHR and telehealth services and distinguish them as preventable incidents at various levels (Shah & Khan, 2020). Their credibility is ensured by their publication in reputable, peer-reviewed publications, and their detailed analysis of various elements of healthcare technology directly confronts and illustrates the significant issue of protecting the confidentiality and safety of information with technological advances. This makes these resources vital assets for an in-depth knowledge of the issues and requirements in safeguarding medical information in advancing technology (Kaplan, 2020).

Analysis and Causes of the Problem

Breaches in medical data can be characterized as unlawful access or exposure of confidential medical data, which affects its confidentiality and safety (Seh et al., 2020). The healthcare subject under consideration is the issue of incorporating new technology like EHRs and telehealth into medical services while maintaining patient data confidentiality and safet