4th Thought Cloud: Law, Tech, and Health in Balance

    No matter what side we look at, technology is always evolving and has a significant impact on our daily life. In the healthcare field, technology also became part of the practice. By replacing paper with computerized summaries, it makes patient care easier and more efficient. And as digitalization spreads quickly today, patient information is at greater risk than ever before from data breaches and cyberattacks. With that being said, in this entry, I will be sharing my opinions regarding the importance of appropriate implementation of health-related laws as we are currently in a technology-leading world.

💭 Importance of Health-Related Laws in Technology-led World

   Before patient data was stored on paper and kept secured in filing cabinets, making it relatively simple to safeguard and keep it secure. However, due to technological advancements and breakthroughs, patient records are electronically saved on computers and servers. The use of digital technologies for health raises a number of possible issues in regard to patient privacy and confidentiality. This is the main reason why there are numerous laws and acts governing the practice. 

    

    In the Philippines, the enactment of Republic Act 10173, also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012, greatly helped in providing data security. This law guarantees the clients that their data are protected at all times and are not exposed to risks and vulnerabilities like unauthorized access, processing, sharing, and disclosure. In this way, the clients can feel confident and comfortable sharing information that is complete and accurate with their healthcare provider - resulting in obtaining reliable assessment data that can be used throughout the treatment plan.

    Moreover, Republic Act No. 9173, also known as the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, stresses the importance for all registered nurses of the country to abide by the Code of Ethics and technical standards for nursing practice. Specifically, it is stated that registered nurses are the advocates of patients and that they shall take appropriate steps to safeguard their rights and privileges. In this way, nurses have a duty in protecting the clients' information wherein only the healthcare team involved in the client's care can access their information. 

    Now, as I look at the primary reasons for enacting the two laws, I get to realize that nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals do have a bigger responsibility aside from providing care to their clients. By applying the principles of "do no harm" in digital health technologies and practice, it will be possible to prevent and mitigate any harms that may occur. It must be ensured that any personal information collected from clients should be done with fully informed consent and must be stored appropriately. In this way, healthcare professionals could maximize the benefits of technology while minimizing detrimental effects. 

    To conclude, technological breakthroughs used in practice have the potential to transform health care into a more accurate and responsive one. Hence, it should be used appropriately while keeping in mind the importance of privacy and confidentiality.

References:

National Privacy Commission. (n.d.) Republic Act 10173 – Data Privacy Act of 2012. Retrieved from https://www.privacy.gov.ph/data-privacy-act/#7

Official Gazette (n.d.) Republic Act No. 9173. Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2002/10/21/republic-act-no-9173/