The harmonization between the protection and disclosure of patients’ information in medical information system to prevent the hospital acquired infection.

Abstract

 It is commonly agreed that a medical information system plays a significant role in risk management. In infection control, the medical staffs must prevent the hospital acquired infection by following the manuals and the their knowledge of the epidemiological data for MRSA, VRE, syphilis, tuberculosis, HCV and HIV accumulated to the HIS (Hospital Information System). On the other hand, patients’ information should be protected from any third party. According to these needs, the system has been updated so that the history of the positive MRSA is displayed regardless of the latest outcome as a patient’s profile and that the positive results of an HIV test cannot be seen on the display, taking into account of the privacy. The authors suggest that both the exact disclosure and the protection of patents’ information should be achieved simultaneously by the medical information system and that the staffs of the Division of Medical Informatics should actively participate in the ITC(Infection Control Team).