Final answer:
In Health Information Technology, protocols are structured guidelines ensuring safe and standardized practices, such as sterilizing medical equipment and sharing patients' electronic health records, while maintaining confidentiality and addressing contemporary issues like cyber threats.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of Health Information Technology, protocols are indeed defined as the rules that facilitate communication and ensure proper procedures are followed. For instance, protocols for cleaning or sterilizing medical equipment are established by regulatory bodies such as the FDA and organizations like the AOAC to ensure global standardization and safety.
These protocols are critical because they ensure that medical devices and equipment are safe for patient use. When these procedures and protocols are not adhered to, hospitals and their staff can be held liable for any subsequent patient illnesses. Furthermore, explicit rules within technology environments, like university guidelines addressing issues such as cyberbullying and identity theft, highlight the importance of having standardized and written rules in place to tackle new challenges.
Within the realm of health care, sharing of digital records among health providers is a notable application of communication protocols. This sharing is intended to improve the quality and reduce the cost of healthcare in the United States while maintaining the privacy of electronic health records. As such, proper communication protocols are key to effective healthcare information exchange and patient safety.