ASTM E2147-01(2013)
(Specification)Standard Specification for Audit and Disclosure Logs for Use in Health Information Systems (Withdrawn 2017)
Standard Specification for Audit and Disclosure Logs for Use in Health Information Systems (Withdrawn 2017)
ABSTRACT
This specification describes the security requirements involved in the development and implementation of audit and disclosure logs used in health information systems. It specifies how to design an access audit log to record all access to patient identifiable information maintained in computer systems, and includes principles for developing policies, procedures, and functions of health information logs to document all disclosure of confidential health care information to external users for use in manual and computer systems. This specification provides for two main purposes, namely: to define the nature, role, and function of system access audit logs and their use in health information systems as a technical and procedural tool to help provide security oversight; and to identify principles for establishing a permanent record of disclosure of health information to external users and the data to be recorded in maintaining it.
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Data that document health services in health care organizations are business records and must be archived to a secondary but retrievable medium. Audit logs should be retained, at a minimum, according to the statute governing medical records in the geographic area.
4.2 The purpose of audit access and disclosure logs is to document and maintain a permanent record of all authorized and unauthorized access to and disclosure of confidential health care information in order that health care providers, organizations, and patients and others can retrieve evidence of that access to meet multiple needs. Examples are clinical, organizational, risk management, and patient rights' needs.
4.3 Audit logs designed for system access provide a precise capability for organizations to see who has accessed patient information. Due to the significant risk in computing environments by authorized and unauthorized users, the audit log is an important management tool to monitor, access retrospectively. In addition, the access and disclosure log becomes a powerful support document for disciplinary action. Audit logs are essential components to comprehensive security programs in health care.
4.4 Organizations are accountable for managing the disclosure of health information in a way that meets legal, regulatory, accreditation and licensing requirements and growing patient expectations for accountable privacy practices. Basic audit trail procedures should be applied, manually if necessary, in paper patient record systems to the extent feasible. Security in health information systems is an essential component to making progress in building and linking patient information. Successful implementation of large scale systems, the use of networks to transmit data, growing technical capability to address security issues and concerns about the confidentiality, and security provisions of patient information drive the focus on this topic. (See Guide E1384.)
4.5 Consumer fears about confide...
SCOPE
1.1 This specification is for the development and implementation of security audit/disclosure logs for health information. It specifies how to design an access audit log to record all access to patient identifiable information maintained in computer systems and includes principles for developing policies, procedures, and functions of health information logs to document all disclosure of health information to external users for use in manual and computer systems. The process of information disclosure and auditing should conform, where relevant, with the Privacy Act of 1974 (1).2
1.2 The first purpose of this specification is to define the nature, role, and function of system access audit logs and their use in health information systems as a technical and procedural tool to help provide security oversight. In concert with organizational confidentiality and security policies and procedures, permanent audit logs can clearly identify all system application users who access patient identifiab...
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Standards Content (Sample)
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:E2147 −01 (Reapproved 2013) An American National Standard
Standard Specification for
Audit and Disclosure Logs for Use in Health Information
1
Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2147; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope computer-based patient record coexist in parallel, security
oversight and access management should address both envi-
1.1 This specification is for the development and implemen-
ronments.
tation of security audit/disclosure logs for health information.
It specifies how to design an access audit log to record all
1.4 The second purpose of this specification is to identify
access to patient identifiable information maintained in com-
principles for establishing a permanent record of disclosure of
puter systems and includes principles for developing policies,
health information to external users and the data to be recorded
procedures, and functions of health information logs to docu-
in maintaining it. Security management of health information
ment all disclosure of health information to external users for
requires a comprehensive framework that incorporates man-
use in manual and computer systems. The process of informa-
dates and criteria for disclosing patient health information
tion disclosure and auditing should conform, where relevant,
found in federal and state laws, rules and regulations and
2
with the Privacy Act of 1974 (1).
ethical statements of professional conduct. Accountability for
such a framework should be established through a set of
1.2 The first purpose of this specification is to define the
standardprinciplesthatareapplicabletoallhealthcaresettings
nature, role, and function of system access audit logs and their
and health information systems.
use in health information systems as a technical and procedural
tool to help provide security oversight. In concert with orga-
1.5 Logs used to audit and oversee health information
nizational confidentiality and security policies and procedures,
access and disclosure are the responsibility of each health care
permanentauditlogscanclearlyidentifyallsystemapplication
organization, data intermediary, data warehouse, clinical data
users who access patient identifiable information, record the
repository, third party payer, agency, organization or corpora-
nature of the patient information accessed, and maintain a
tion that maintains or provides, or has access to individually-
permanent record of actions taken by the user. By providing a
identifiable data. Such logs are specified in and support policy
precise method for an organization to monitor and review who
on information access monitoring and are tied to disciplinary
hasaccessedpatientdata,auditlogshavethepotentialformore
sanctions that satisfy legal, regulatory, accreditation and insti-
effective security oversight than traditional paper record envi-
tutional mandates.
ronments. This specification will identify functionality needed
for audit log management, the data to be recorded, and the use
1.6 Organizations need to prescribe access requirements for
of audit logs as security and management tools by organiza-
aggregate data and to approve query tools that allow auditing
tional managers.
capability, or design data repositories that limit inclusion of
datathatprovidepotentialkeystoidentifiabledata.Inferencing
1.3 Intheabsenceofcomputerizedlogs,auditlogprinciples
patient identifiable data through analysis of aggregate data that
can be implemented manually in the paper patient record
contains limited identifying data elements such as birth date,
environment with respect to permanently monitoring paper
birth location, and family name, is possible using software that
patient record access. Where the paper patient record and the
matches data elements across data bases. This allows a
consistent approach to linking records into longitudinal cases
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E31 on
for research purposes. Audit trails can be designed to work
Healthcare Informatics and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E31.25 on
with applications which use these techniques if the query
Healthcare Data Management, Security, Confidentiality, and Privacy.
Current edition approved March 1, 2013. Published March 2013. Originally
functions are part of a defined retrieval application but often
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2009 as E2147 – 01(2009).
standard query tools are not easily audited. This specification
DOI: 10.1520/E2147-01R13.
2
applies to the disclosure or transfer of health information
The
...
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