Finding ethical principles and practical guidelines for the controlled flow of patient data

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Computer Science
• Bioethics

Background:

• Electronic patient records (EPRs) provide significant advantages in healthcare delivery.
• However, EPRs introduce critical concerns regarding data confidentiality and potential misuse.
• Existing access control models often rely on informed consent, posing challenges for vulnerable patient groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the limitations of current access control models for sensitive health data.
• To propose an ethically sound solution for managing access to electronic patient records.
• To highlight the need for robust algorithms in safeguarding patient information.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing access control mechanisms in healthcare.
• Analysis of challenges in managing data access for vulnerable patient populations (e.g., mental health, comatose, severely ill).
• Development and description of a novel algorithm for controlled record access.

Main Results:

• Identified limitations in informed consent-based models for vulnerable patients.
• Presented a practical algorithm designed for secure and ethical access to electronic patient records.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of an open, informed, and ethically sound access control system.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for advanced access control mechanisms beyond traditional informed consent.
• The proposed algorithm offers a viable solution for enhancing data security and ethical compliance in mental healthcare and for other vulnerable groups.
• Implementing such algorithms is crucial for realizing the full benefits of digital health records while protecting patient privacy.