Question:  What issues are important to consider when evaluating school health office software?

Answer:  The following issues are important to consider when looking at school health office software:

Password protection:

Passwords should be easily remembered, but not easily guessed – the best passwords combine simple words and numbers

Passwords should provide different access to specific users – some school employees should be able to view only demographic information to protect confidentiality, while the school nurse should be the one with full access to health records.  Nurses should be sure to know who has access to health records!

 

Rejection:

Health record software should be designed to reject a user when multiple attempts are made to enter an improper password to prevent hacking into and unauthorized access to the health records.

 

Authentication:

A person’s access should be limited to a specific log-in name (multiple users should not use the same identity) in order to be able to secure who has accessed the records and/or altered the record.

 

Audit Capability:

Each access to the electronic record should record the name of the person accessing the record for security purposes.

 

Health Office Precautions:

Arrange the health office with the computer screen facing away from students and staff to discourage viewing of confidential health information

A password protected screen saver provides security when stepping away from the computer for treatment or other purposes

Discuss with the technology department that the nurse’s computer must not be removed for upgrades or service without managing the integrity of the medical records, or deleting the files permanently from the system 

Special arrangements must be made if the computer is to leave the district for repair

 

Overwrite Protection

Software must protect against the record being altered after an entry is made 

The software must guarantee that information entered may not be altered after it is entered

Without this feature, a health record has no legal value

 

Data Loss and Retention

Files must be backed up in a secure and confidential manner to avoid loss 

 

Summary of Software Features:

• Overwrite protection
• Multi-level user access and passwords
• Rejection features
• Authentication

Information found on pages 321 – 327 of Legal Issues in School Health Services,

Edited by N. Schwab and M. Gelfman