From a health information system perspective, there are federal laws relative to information management, data authentication, health exchange, standards, and end user needs. Additionally, organizations can choose to become accredited or certified. Accrediting organizations endorse, facilitate, and provide standards to protect patient health information. Meanwhile, laws are in place to ensure the safety and security of patient health information. The standards of patient’s health information safety and security within organizations are clearly outlined and widely adopted by all legitimate health care organizations.

Introduction to Standard IM.01.01.03
The primary goal of the information continuity process is to return the hospital to normal operations as soon as possible with minimal downtime and no data loss. The hospital needs to be prepared for events that could impact the availability of data and information regardless of whether interruptions are scheduled or unscheduled (due to a local or regional disaster or an emergency). Interruptions to an organization’s information system can potentially have a devastating impact on its ability to deliver quality care and continue its business operations. Planning for emergency situations helps the organization mitigate the impact that interruptions, emergencies, and disasters have on its ability to manage information. The hospital plans for interruptions by training staff on alternative procedures, testing the hospital’s Emergency Operations Plan, conducting regularly scheduled data backups, and testing data restoration procedures.

Justify two information management standards from the list below as outlined by The Joint Commission. You are required to expand upon the Elements of Performance.

• The hospital plans for managing information.
• The hospital plans for continuity of its information management process.

Regardless of whether an organization uses a paper-based system or an electronic system, a plan to address the process for information continuity, including knowledge-based information, should be in place. Hospitals that plan for maintaining access to electronic information systems by using various electronic backup and restoration procedures can quickly recover from interruptions with minimal downtime and data loss.