How Managers Can Assure Privacy and Security of Patient Information

In coordinating staff members, hospital managers can assure privacy and security of patient information through constant communication and monitoring. This involves coordinating their actions and performance while complying, implementing and enforcing security and privacy procedures and policies. In addition, they should constantly remind their members of staff about the significance of securing patients information to both medical practice and patients. This can be done through implementing security and privacy requirements as well as HIPAA and other state laws. Apart from that, members of staff should be given formal training about breach notification (Haak, 2006).

In dealing with outsiders around the manager’s office or facility, hospital managers can assure privacy and security of patient information through the promotion of a culture that protects patients’ privacy. This is where a general atmosphere that is protective of patients’ privacy is created in the manager’s office and the entire hospital setting (Haak, 2006).

Hospital managers can assure privacy and security of patient information from threats posed by computer hackers through encrypting hospital data. This can be done in line with HIPAA and other state law regulations to avoid falling prey to security breaches. Apart from that, any patient’s information that is likely to be transferred over the internet should be encrypted. This enables the hospital’s security system to detect and respond to multifaceted cyber-attacks (Ohno, 2007).

Subject 2: Healthcare Budget

The most surprising part of this article is that while in 2011 the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) allocated $2.4 billion to Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) veterans’ health, some of them were not aware. As much as this represented a 24% increase from 2009 of the over 1.2 million eligible OCO veterans, only 52% had made use of this facility in 2011 (Menezes, 2009). Surprisingly, this was done only once in 2011. Even though the number of veterans who have been making use of this service has increased over the years, not all of them seek medical care. For instance, by 2010, over 600,000 veterans had used this service yet 200, 000 of this group did not do so for medical reasons. There is a need for a thorough audit to account for these funds since it seems the targeted beneficiaries are not using it as originally envisaged (Jadick, 2007).

If given the position of the manager in charge of the VHA, I would have made a flexible budget to ensure strict utilization and accountability for every penny. This will be my focus because reports on the ground indicate case of misappropriation of VHA funds. Statistics show that while the VHA allocated $2.4 billion in 2011 for OCO veterans to use in funding their medical bills and other health issues, only 52% happened to use this special fund. Apart from that, while it is reported that only 625, 000 veterans used this service, it was supposed to cater for 1.3 million of them in 2010. However, only 400,000 of this cohort still sought medical care. If a thorough audit is made, VHA fund will not be embezzled and all OCO veterans will benefit from this funding (Christensen, 2009).

Subject 3: Environmental Disparities

Amongst the dangers that individuals endure in their attempt to live in a safe environment is the exposure to various environmental hazards. This includes exposure to flowing sewages, dirty water, environmental contaminants, safety issues, disease-carrying pests, and polluted air (Zartarian, 2010).

In an effort to curb these dangers, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is already carrying out research to support community founded collective risk assessments. It is also creating tools to communicate the findings of this research to the public. The Community Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST) is amongst those tools being developed by EPA. It is being developed as a community assessment, mapping, and information access tool to facilitate communities’ decision-making processes. EPA scientists are already working together with various federal agencies to devise and analyze C-FERST. Their research responds to the National Academy of Sciences recommendations as well as requisites from communities and APA regional offices (Zartarian, 2010).

The people who are exposed to environmental contam.............