Communication Paper

Communication Paper

Katherine Wilson

HCS/490

November 5, 2012

Cindy Perkins

Communication Paper

Effective communication is vital in order to ensure those messages are being well received and understood. Advancement in technology has had a huge impact on communication and the ways it can be received and relayed. No longer is communication primarily done face to face the internet has expanded communication that allows consumers a way to communicate instantaneously from any destination. This paper will describe a form of communication called electronic email used by consumers and health care providers and the benefit it bring to the healthcare industry. It will also entail the importance of upholding patient privacy and confidentiality within this form of communication.

The benefit of electronic email to patients

Electronic email in the healthcare field is a fast growing technology phase that gives physicians and patients another form of communication. Technology has advanced so much that this form of communication has been effective in several areas of the healthcare field from triage to avoiding unnecessary office visit thanks to electronic email. In addition to simple messaging, the communication tools can include various combinations of appointment scheduling, medication refill processing, viewable diagnosis and medication lists and a means by which patients can view lab data and other parts of their electronic health records (EHRs).

The values and importance of patient confidentiality related to electronic email

Electronic email is the wave of the future in the healthcare industry and many of it benefits have greatly impacted the standard level of care. However with any web based program it poses a threat to patient privacy and confidentiality. This threat affects any such related and sensitive data that includes patient medical history as well as their demographic and billing information. Government agencies such HIPPA have issued strict...