Define the Joint Commission stand on the use of Electronic Health Essay

Define the Joint Commission stand on the use of Electronic Health Records and requirements for use - Essay Example The Joint Commission is responsible for verifying that the health organizations are using the electronic systems correctly in their activities of providing quality patient care (Joint Commission Resources, 2001). The 2008 alert from the sentinel event of the Joint Commission of the United States stipulates that as the technologies are being increasingly adopted by various organizations concerned with health issues. The commission suggests that their users should be careful of the security risks along with the prevention of the adverse effects that the systems can bring forth. These adverse effects can occur due to errors in commission or errors in omissions (Green & Bowie, 2010). They additionally suggest that these adverse effects usually stem from human or technological errors and should be greatly avoided. For example, in the year 2006 the Joint Commission found out that Pharmacopeia databases had over a hundred and fifty thousand errors on the medications issued and a quarter of them consisted of computer technology errors (Joint Commission Resources, 2001). The commission additionally suggests that the health organizations making use of the electronic records on health should use certif ied systems in meaningful manners (Abdelhak, 2007). This should be for the purposes of exchanging information that will lead to improvements in the quality of health care provided. They have clearly stated that the systems should also be utilized in the submission of clinical quality and other measures within the health organization (Green & Bowie, 2010). The commission carries out its accreditation activities on healthcare organizations through surveys on their sites every three years. Accreditation is awarded on the basis that an organization is complying with the requirements of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability) Act of 1996. These requirements include issues like information management, the management of