Information security and new media relations in terms of patient privacy: Risk management in the case of Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital

Healthcare institutions worldwide, including those in Turkey, continuously strive to develop and update the standards that must be adhered to by organizations in order to provide high-quality healthcare services. The dynamic nature of the healthcare system necessitates constant improvement and updates. One of the main arguments of this thesis is to contribute to the future developments and updates in quality improvement and accreditation in the field of healthcare. The study focuses on identifying near-miss incidents that could potentially lead to breaches of information security and privacy of patients and their families within the Emergency Medicine Department of Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital. Risk analyses were conducted, and regulatory preventive and corrective measures were evaluated in relation to these identified risks. During the research, four separate meetings were organized for physicians, nurses, and support staff, ensuring that workflows were not disrupted and participation was voluntary. The meetings were recorded with anonymized participant names. The impact of the identified near-miss incidents on workflows was assessed using impact and probability scoring tables based on the Dokuz Eylül University Risk Management Directive, and risk levels were determined. A total of 25 near-miss incidents were identified during the meetings with physicians, nurses, and support staff. Based on the analysis conducted with these groups, the risk level of a single near-miss incident was categorized as low risk, two near-miss incidents as medium risk, six near-miss incidents as high risk, and 16 near-miss incidents as very high risk. Given the foundational principles of providing high-quality healthcare services, which include effectiveness, efficiency, safety, fairness, timely delivery, and a patient, family, and employee-centered approach, it is crucial to conduct root cause analyses on the identified near-miss incidents. These analyses aim to improve the identified quality gaps and prevent potential grievances. Based on the data obtained from these analyses, corrective, preventive, and improvement activities should be planned within the organization and monitored over time.