Security requirements and solutions in electronic health records: lessons learned from a comparative study

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Information Security
• Comparative Health Systems

Background:

• Rapid advancements in information technology necessitate robust security for Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Existing EHR development approaches raise questions about suitable security models.
• Patient data availability and security are significant concerns globally.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare Electronic Health Records information security requirements internationally.
• To design and propose a comprehensive EHR security model tailored for Iran.
• To address the critical need for secure EHR systems in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive-comparative study conducted in Iran in 2007.
• Literature review of articles, books, and websites (1992-2006) on EHR security.
• Utilized the Delphi Technique for questionnaire evaluation and model finalization.

Main Results:

• Identified key security requirements in Australia, Canada, England, and the U.S.A., including information organization, asset control, human resources, physical security, operational management, access control, and system development/maintenance.
• The U.S.A. categorizes security requirements into administrative, physical, and technical safeguards.
• A seven-pivot comprehensive EHR security model was developed for Iran, integrating elements from international standards.

Conclusions:

• The proposed model synthesizes international best practices for EHR security.
• The model offers a unique framework, differing in some aspects from those used in other countries.
• The comprehensive EHR security model is recommended for implementation in Iran to enhance patient data protection.