Scenario
Sarah is a 32-year-old woman who has been receiving treatment for severe depression and anxiety for the past five years. She has sought care from multiple healthcare providers, including a primary care physician, a psychiatrist, and a therapist, all of whom have contributed to her electronic health record (EHR). Sarah has made significant progress in her treatment, but her mental health history is sensitive and deeply personal.
One day, Sarah experiences a medical emergency and is rushed to the emergency room at a local hospital that participates in the HIE. The emergency room staff access her electronic health record through the HIE to gather critical medical information. While treating her physical condition, they discover her detailed mental health history, including past suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and notes about her ongoing therapy.
Long-Term Consequences: Consider the potential long-term consequences of sharing or not sharing mental health records. How might this decision impact Sarah’s trust in the healthcare system, her willingness to seek future care, and the overall effectiveness of the HIE?
Competency 1: Explain how ethical theories and principles influence health care organizational management practice.
Discuss ethical obligations, specifically: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.
Discuss the potential long-term consequences of sharing or not sharing mental health records.
Competency 2: Describe how external forces and internal organizational factors influence ethical health care management practices.
Discuss if the emergency room staff should access and use Sarah’s mental health records to inform her current treatment, considering the potential benefit to her care.
Discuss if the healthcare team should attempt to contact Sarah’s mental health providers or seek consent from Sarah herself before using her mental health records in her treatment.
Competency 4: Communicate ideas effectively.
Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
