PHI Exposure Awareness
Create a brief survey aimed at assessing the level of awareness among the healthcare providers to identify which routine actions could be the source of exposure to PHI and the ways to minimize this exposure. Explain why you chose the questions you did utilizing EBP to support your positions. Ensure you have an introduction and conclusion.
Please ensure you use evidence-based practice in determining which methods to use for your survey. Please note the grading rubric. The submission should be minimally 4 pages not counting the cover page and references.
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Introduction and Purpose of the Survey
This survey aims to assess healthcare providers’ awareness of how routine workplace actions may expose Protected Health Information (PHI). With increasing regulatory scrutiny and the need for HIPAA compliance, understanding where gaps exist in PHI handling is essential. The survey identifies common risk areas and guides interventions to reduce unintentional PHI breaches. Evidence-based practice (EBP) supports using surveys as a low-cost, scalable, and reliable method to evaluate knowledge gaps and training needs among staff.
Survey Questions and Justification
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How often do you discuss patient information in shared spaces (e.g., hallways, elevators)?
→ Based on EBP, verbal breaches are a common source of PHI exposure (CDC, 2021). -
Do you log off or lock computer screens when leaving workstations unattended?
→ According to the Journal of Healthcare Risk Management, unlocked screens are a significant cause of unauthorized access. -
Are you familiar with your organization’s HIPAA policies and updates?
→ Literature shows that awareness of policy correlates with reduced PHI violations (AHRQ, 2020). -
Have you received formal training on PHI exposure in the past 12 months?
→ Ongoing training improves compliance, as supported by multiple EBP studies. -
In your opinion, what routine practices most commonly put PHI at risk? (Open-ended)
→ Qualitative responses provide insight into provider perceptions and potential gaps missed by structured questions.
EBP Support for Survey Design
The structure of this survey draws on best practices outlined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Research indicates that combining multiple-choice with open-ended questions provides both quantifiable and nuanced data (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). Routine practices such as documentation handling, electronic system usage, and verbal communication were chosen due to their high incidence of involvement in PHI breaches as indicated in systematic reviews and case studies.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Surveying healthcare providers on PHI exposure awareness helps identify knowledge gaps and areas for improvement. The results can inform targeted training sessions, environmental modifications, and policy updates. Evidence-based practice confirms that proactive assessment leads to improved compliance and decreased risk of violations. Once survey responses are collected, the organization can develop specific strategies to protect patient information and foster a stronger culture of confidentiality and responsibility.
