Final answer:
AHIMA stands against using Social Security Numbers as identifiers in electronic health records due to privacy concerns. Legal frameworks like HIPAA mandate strict confidentiality and guide the balance of treatment costs, patient quality of life, and privacy rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
AHIMA, which is a professional association for health information managers, strongly opposes the use of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) as patient identifiers in an electronic environment. This stance is due to the high risk of identity theft and privacy violations associated with the misuse of SSNs. Other common identifiers such as Date of Birth, Patient Name, and Medical Record Number are considered more appropriate for patient identification purposes.
When discussing health records, several important questions must be considered to ensure a balance between treatment costs, patient quality of life, and individual privacy. Some of these questions include:
- How can patient data be protected from unauthorized access while still being readily accessible for healthcare needs?
- What measures can be implemented to minimize the risk of privacy breaches?
- In what ways can patient consent be incorporated into the sharing of health information?
These questions highlight the importance of legal considerations, such as those mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which requires that entities handling health information maintain strict confidentiality protocols. Violations of patient privacy, such as revealing a patient's diagnosis during the process of contacting sexual partners, are of particular concern.