title: Examination of an Electronic Patient Record Display Method to Protect Patient Information Privacy.
abstract: Electronic patient records facilitate the provision of safe, high-quality medical care. However, because personnel can view almost all stored information, this study designed a display method using a mosaic blur (pixelation) to temporarily conceal information patients do not want shared. This study developed an electronic patient records display method for patient information that balanced the patient's desire for personal information protection against the need for information sharing among medical personnel. First, medical personnel were interviewed about the degree of information required for both individual duties and team-based care. Subsequently, they tested a mock display method that partially concealed information using a mosaic blur, and they were interviewed about the effectiveness of the display method that ensures patient privacy. Participants better understood patients' demand for confidentiality, suggesting increased awareness of patients' privacy protection. However, participants also indicated that temporary concealment of certain information was problematic. Other issues included the inconvenience of removing the mosaic blur to obtain required information and risk of insufficient information for medical care. Despite several issues with using a display method that temporarily conceals information according to patient privacy needs, medical personnel could accept this display method if information essential to medical safety remains accessible.
authors: Author Affiliations: School of Nursing (Ms Niimi), Seirei Christopher University, Hamamatsu; and Graduate School of Medicine (Dr Ota), Nagoya University, Japan.
authors: Yukari
authors: Y
authors: Niimi
authors: Katsumasa
authors: K
authors: Ota
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000592:standards; D003626:Data Display / Q000592:standards*; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D018907:Privacy; D014584:User-Computer Interface