copy and paste literature review

The Use of Copy & Paste Functionality in Electronic Health Records
Institutions
Student’s name
Abstract
This study examines the current trend in the use of copy and paste function of patient’s data within an organization. The paper will cover a detailed examination of the use of copy and paste in importing electronic health data information. This report will offer more insight into this problem and highlight the consequence that may arise from the use of copy and paste functionality in electronic health records. The study also shows how the use of this functionality affects the integrity of the patient’s information and as well jeopardizes the functionality of the health organization in offering healthcare services. Lastly as suggested by Jamshed, Ozair, Sharma, & Aggarwal (2015), the report suggests that there is a need for the management to put into place a system that has zero tolerance on the unethical handling of electronic health records. The management should also set into place an internal control system in the organization that strictly discourage its use, and if allowed its application should be monitored.

The Use of Copy & Paste Functionality in Electronic Health Records
Literature review
Adoption of electronic data management system in the health care was not only meant to increase the efficiency of service delivery but also to ensure high level privacy of the patient’s information (Weis & Levis, 2014). Though the use of technology in healthcare data storage has brought efficiency, new challenges have emerged that concern the privacy and integrity of data sharing among the health staff.

As described by Weis & Levis (2014), the standard electronic health data sharing methods in the institutions have their benefits and drawbacks. As outlined by Jamshed et al. (2015), among the benefits of using electronic health records includes the legibility of information and easier tracking of both patient medical history and medication reactions. It also helps in improving information safety, offers a basis for medical research and ensures cost-effectiveness in data management.
One of the drawback that has come with the introduction of electronic health data sharing is the use of copy and paste function on the data. The application of copy and paste function in patient’s information documents poses a significant risk to the organization and its customers (Weis & Levis, 2014). A study by Ben-Assault (2015) found that one of the most used electronic sharing tools is the functionality of copy and paste. The impact of the copy-pasting function is evident in the system operations such as in billing and coding. Since its use in institutions will not be quickly eliminated, the best option is for the management to educate the staff on how to manage this tool to maintain integrity while handling patient’s data (Ben-Assualt, 2015). Though there is no guarantee that discouraging the use of copy and paste may explicitly eliminate that practice, it is prudent for the management to condemn it to reduce its adverse consequences to patient’s healthcare when their health document is subjected to these errors (Ben-Assualt, 2015).
First, the use of these functions enables the health staff to import one set of patient data or records to another thus one may be in a position to mix the outdated and irrelevant data and combine with the current patient clinical data. Due to increased misuse of this function, the electronically stored data tend to lose trust in case of a simple ambiguity (Dianna & Lou, 2011). From this view, one can point out that the abuse of this functionality by the healthcare staff will not only lead to poor service delivery but its effects can also be fatal. In a case where necessary care was not put in place, copy and paste it can lead to confusion of clinical information when being used by other healthcare staff due to inconsistency. Some of the errors that may occur while copy and pasting include: omission of relevant information, multiple copying, and data miss-match. As indicated by Sue (2013), some of these errors sometimes end up affecting a patient insurance cover. For instance, when a patient’s clinical history erroneously indicates the frequent occurrence of severe illness because of multiple coping, he/she might be disadvantaged in securing a health insurance cover.
Furthermore, the increased popularity of the use of copy and paste function in an institution should not override the legal responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the patient’s data. According to American Medical Association, as cited by Weis & Levy (2014), the policymakers and stakeholders should ensure that any health institution maintains their electronic records in a manner that meets the medical records standards. In addition, the management must ensure that all the staff involved in the handling of patient’s data are informed on proper documentation, maintenance of data integrity, maintaining information accuracy through an update in addition to the legal liability (Weis & Levy, 2014). Also, the management must ensure that all the health service providers are aware of the risk of copying information incorrectly, the omission of crucial patient health information and their legal liability of not following the laid down work ethics on handling patient data (Weis & Levy, 2014).
Furthermore, the use of copy and paste has been evident in fraudulent use in payment especially to a bill sent to the patient health insurance companies (Weis & Levy, 2014). The fraudulent actions occur when a patient is billed for multiple copy-pasted information. As indicated by Sue (2013), the effect of the improper use of electronic health information has increased fraud and decreased care quality. The study further demonstrates that any of these cases will cause the integrity of the health document that includes data inaccuracy, ambiguity, unidentified author and publication date, the omission of relevant information and lengthy inconsistent details (Sue, 2013). A study carried by Critical Care Medicine as cited by Sue (2013), found that 20 percent of patient’s data in Intensive Care Unit contained copy-pasted information. Sue (2013) further cites a study by American Medical Informatics that records that almost 80 percent of all general notes such as sign-out and progress notes contained copy-pasted information.
In addition to monitoring of the copy and paste function, if copy-pasted information has to be used, a proper attribution should accompany it. Also as a method of increasing staff productivity, limits should be well outlined on specific data that will be reproduced as measures to curb the vice. Further, regular auditing on the use of electronic health information should be conducted to ensure that clinical standards are met in handling electronic data and provide efficiency in offering quality health services.
References
Ben-Assault, O. (2015). Electronic health records, adoption, quality of care, legal and privacy issues and their implementation in emergency departments. Health Policy, 119(3), 287-297. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2014.11.014
Dianna Warner, Lou Ann Wiedmann (2011). America Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).Information management and governance of copy function health record systems. Retrieved on 16th January 2017, http://library.ahima.org/doc?oid=105240#.Wl2gdUCJ17wJamshed, N., Ozair, F., Sharma, A., & Aggarwal, P. (2015). Ethical issues in electronic health records: A general overview. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 6(2), 73. Retrieved on 16th January 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394583/Sue Bowman, (2013), impact of electronic health record systems on information integrity: quality and safety implications retrieved on 16th January 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3797550/Weis, J. M., & Levy, P. C. (2014). Copy, Paste, and Cloned Notes in Electronic Health Records. Chest, 145(3), 632-638. doi:10.1378/chest.13-0886