Shared Electronic Health Record Systems: Key Legal and Security Challenges

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Digital Health Security
• Healthcare Law

Background:

• Shared electronic health records (EHRs) offer significant potential for inter-institutional healthcare collaboration and improved patient care.
• However, the implementation of shared EHR systems is hindered by unresolved legal and security concerns.
• Proactive identification and mitigation of these challenges are essential to prevent post-implementation issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and discuss critical legal and security challenges associated with shared electronic cooperation platforms and EHR systems.
• To provide practical insights and suggest solutions for overcoming these obstacles.
• To inform healthcare professionals, policymakers, and technology developers about potential risks and best practices.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of a web-based ulcer record system involving diverse healthcare professionals and patients.
• Qualitative discussion of legal and security issues encountered during system implementation and use.
• Review of key challenges including responsibility allocation, documentation, and access control mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Key legal and security challenges identified include: (1) clear allocation of responsibility among participating institutions and individuals, (2) establishing standardized and secure documentation routines, and (3) implementing robust integrated or federated access control systems.
• Lessons learned from the ulcer record system highlight the practical difficulties in managing these aspects.
• Failure to address these issues can lead to significant legal and security vulnerabilities.

Conclusions:

• Successful implementation of shared EHR systems necessitates a thorough understanding and proactive management of legal and security challenges.
• Addressing issues of responsibility, documentation, and access control is paramount for ensuring data integrity, patient privacy, and operational efficiency.
• This analysis provides a framework for navigating these complexities, benefiting current and future users and policymakers.