IT Headaches: Overcoming Some of Your Biggest Department Concerns

(Sept. 16, 2009)

Healthcare information technology (IT) operations have become a 24/7 business. When a glitch occurs, day or night, weekend or holiday, your team is expected to be on the case, finding a solution immediately.

Yet, as we know, that process is only a component of your department's overall responsibilities and functions. As an IT manager, CIO or CTO, there are a number of behind-the-scenes scenarios that make up your day and add to your growing list of concerns. And while that list could comprise volumes, this article will highlight three top common problems and specific solutions addressing one or two components of these issues, which may be just be what you need to help improve efficiencies in your own department or system-wide:

  • HIPAA compliance and privacy. Because we are now living in a digital society, the importance of securing your patients' data is only going to increase. Moreover, while there are many methods available to manage data privacy and security, one component of this process is data auditing. HIPAA requires the assessment of the potential risks and vulnerability of Protected Health Information (PHI), including audit controls and requires the "regular review of information system activity, such as audit logs, access reports and security incident reports." A major auditing challenge for many IT departments is the ability to automate the auditing of composite data, such as PHI. Keep in mind that PHI is defined as the exposure of information that both identifies the patient and his or her healthcare status. Therefore, your auditing approach must be able to execute specific combinations of data, such as name and diagnosis or social security number and diagnostic-related group (DRG) code. Fortunately, data auditing has become much easier in recent years due to advancements in auditing technology. Some applications can provide automated, customized reports based on your own specifications or templates. Ask your vendor about these advanced technologies and strategies for using them in your organization.