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Legal issues of the electronic dental record: security and confidentiality
Author(s) -
Szekely DG,
Milam S,
Khademi JA
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1930-7837
pISSN - 0022-0337
DOI - 10.1002/j.0022-0337.1996.60.1.tb03006.x
Subject(s) - confidentiality , vendor , business , internet privacy , liability , duty , order (exchange) , computer security , masking (illustration) , legal liability , law , computer science , political science , art , visual arts , finance , marketing
Computer‐based, electronic dental record keeping involves complex issues of patient privacy and the dental practitioner's ethical duty of confidentiality. Federal and state law is responding to the new legal issues presented by computer technology. Authenticating the electronic record in terms of ensuring its reliability and accuracy is essential in order to protect its admissibility as evidence in legal actions. Security systems must be carefully planned to limit access and provide for back‐up and storage of dental records. Carefully planned security systems protect the patient from disclosure without the patient's consent and also protect the practitioner from the liability that would arise from such disclosure. Human errors account for the majority of data security problems. Personnel security is assured through pre‐employment screening, employment contracts, policies, and staff education. Contracts for health information systems should include provisions for indemnification and ensure the confidentiality of the system by the vendor.