Final answer:
A document tracking a client's medical journey is a medical record. Privacy concerns arise with digital medical records sharing, prompting key questions on data protection, patient control, and efficiency versus privacy risk assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
A document or electronic file used to record a client's history, assessment, treatment, and results of therapy is a medical record. In the context of modern healthcare, especially in the United States, the sharing of digital medical records is seen as a means to enhance the quality of care while reducing costs. However, the privacy of these electronic health records is a significant concern. When developing policies that balance treatment costs, patient quality of life, and privacy risks, three critical questions must be addressed:
- How can data in health records be adequately protected against unauthorized access or breaches, while still allowing for necessary medical collaborations and referrals?
- What measures can be implemented to ensure that patients have full transparency and control over who accesses their health records?
- In what ways might the efficiency gains from digital record sharing be quantified against the potential risks to individual privacy?