PHI
Andrew, a 17-year-old, is a talented baseball player. He plays 3rd base for a local high school and has a great batting average. Because Andrew is so accomplished, he is hoping for a full athletic scholarship to the state university. He plans to pursue a degree in engineering or computer science. He is the oldest of three children. He is active in his church and community. His father works two part-time jobs and his mother is unemployed.
Today Andrew is practicing with the high school baseball team. A baseball hits him in his head. He falls to the ground and becomes non-responsive. The baseball coach calls an ambulance and Andrew is taken to the local emergency room. In the emergency room, Andrew is non-responsive and his breathing is labored necessitating intubation. He has a large laceration on his back because of the fall. He is stabilized and transferred to the medical intensive care unit (MICU). The hospitalist managing the MICU admits Andrew and immediately orders an interprofessional care team consultation.
Address one of the following questions regarding this case and provide evidence to support it from our course materials or outside readings in your main posts. Respond to two or more other student’s main post.
1) Andrew’s family is having a great deal of difficulty dealing with Andrew’s condition. They are told that he needs further tests. One is to determine whether his brain is still functioning. As you apply the principles of patient advocacy keep in mind Andrew’s outcome could be good or not so good and the family is struggling. How would you use advocacy in this situation for Andrew, family, friends, and care providers?
2) In the unit where Andrew is located there is a white board the staff use. It lists Andrews name, diagnosis, room number, and important activities for the shift. How might this be a HIPAA violation or a confidentiality issue?
3) Some of the nurses caring for Andrew keep their smartphones with them at work. Some get on social media while at work. One nurse takes a picture of Andrew and his family and posts it on social media. What are the ramifications for protected health information (PHI). Since it seems to be a normal today for social media to be a method to communicate do you think this helps or hurts (PHI).
4) Think about what interoperability is. What examples from your clinical rotations, places of work or the literature have you witnessed and discuss four main benefits related to EHR integration and interoperability. Could these be beneficial to Andrew’s case? Why or why not?
