Final answer:
The sharing of digital records among healthcare providers is used for continuity of care, while complying with HIPAA standards for the protection of patient information. Several questions need to be addressed when developing policies for information sharing, including ensuring privacy, assessing privacy risks, and balancing costs with the protection of patient privacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The method used to share information and medical documentation for patients with other healthcare providers to maintain continuity of care is primarily through the sharing of digital records among health providers. This electronic exchange of health information is proposed to improve healthcare quality and reduce costs. However, this practice must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which was passed into law in 1996 and sets the standards for the protection of patient information, requiring entities that handle health data to maintain strict confidentiality of patient records.
- When developing policies for the sharing of medical information, several key questions must be addressed, such as:
- What are the potential risks to individual privacy, and how will these be mitigated?
- How will the policies balance cost reductions and improvements in patient care with the protection of patient privacy?
- These considerations are critical in ensuring that the sharing of medical documentation among healthcare providers is both efficient and compliant with legal standards for patient privacy and the protection of health information.