Patient Confidentiality of Electronic Health Records: A Recent Review of the Saudi Literature

Abstract

Public Interest Summary Health systems harbor data that can be targeted by cyber attackers, allowing hackers to gain access to confidential data and information about patients. Patients may lose their lives or suffer permanent and irreversible harm as a result of unauthorized access to health care data used in treatment. To ensure patient safety, the health care sector must integrate cybersecurity into its operations. Additionally, the health care industry must collaborate to tackle cybercrime and prevent unauthorized access to patient data. With the rapid transition from paper health records to electronic health records, it is important to identify, study, and address the challenges that confront electronic health records in terms of protecting patient confidentiality. Examples of factors that may affect patient confidentiality are healthcare security software, and relationships between health professionals.

Keywords

• Electronic health records
• Saudi Arabia
• Patient confidentiality
• Privacy
• Security