One crucial regulation passed in the last five years is the Patient Safety Improvement Act of 2020, a federal law aimed at improving healthcare delivery by enhancing infection control, pediatric safety, care transitions, and error reporting. As a result, hospitals have had to adopt stricter infection prevention protocols, improve patient handoff procedures, and expand safety incident reporting. These changes help reduce medical errors and support a more standardized approach to patient care (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, n.d.).
Technology has played a critical role in supporting this law. Tools like Electronic Health Records, Computerized Provider Order Entry, and clinical decision support systems have improved communication and helped prevent errors such as medication mix-ups. However, the use of these technologies brings ethical challenges. Privacy and data security are top concerns, as the digital storage of health data increases the risk of breaches. Accuracy of data is also essential; mistakes in documentation or system malfunctions can result in patient harm. Additionally, the use of AI-based tools raises concerns about transparency and informed consent, as patients may not fully understand how these systems influence their care (USF Health, n.d.; Mehrabi et al., 2021).
To manage these challenges, healthcare organizations must implement strong cybersecurity protocols, train staff regularly, and communicate clearly with patients about how technology is used in their care. While the Patient Safety Improvement Act has prompted meaningful improvements, ongoing attention to ethics and patient trust is crucial as healthcare becomes increasingly tech-driven.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Patient Safety Improvement Act of 2020.
USF Health. (n.d.). Legal and ethical issues in health informatics.
Mehrabi, N., Morstatter, F., Saxena, N., Lerman, K., & Galstyan, A. (2021). A survey on bias and fairness in machine learning. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 54(6), 1–35.
