How can staff protect electronic health information when stepping away from a workstation?

How can staff protect electronic health information when stepping away from a workstation?

• A. Leave the computer unlocked
• B. Share password with coworker
• C. Close the browser tab only
• D. Log out or lock the computer, enable screen saver, and store access credentials securely; never leave patient data visible

Answer: (D)

When stepping away from a workstation, the goal is to prevent any unauthorized person from viewing or using electronic health information. The best practice is to log out or lock the computer, enable a screen saver, and store access credentials securely, and never leave patient data visible. Logging out ends the active session, so no one can continue where you left off. If you can’t log out immediately, locking the computer or enabling a screen saver requires a password to resume, which stops casual prying. Keeping credentials in a secure place (such as a password manager) avoids sharing or writing passwords where others can see them, reducing the risk of credential theft. Finally, never leaving patient data visible ensures bystander access is prevented, aligning with the protections around PHI. Leaving the workstation unlocked lets anyone who passes by access your tools and patient information. Sharing a password with a coworker breaks security rules and makes auditing and accountability impossible. Simply closing the browser tab might hide information temporarily, but it doesn’t guarantee the session is secured or fully protected against re-access, and sensitive data could still be exposed if the session is restored or cached.

When stepping away from a workstation, the goal is to prevent any unauthorized person from viewing or using electronic health information. The best practice is to log out or lock the computer, enable a screen saver, and store access credentials securely, and never leave patient data visible. Logging out ends the active session, so no one can continue where you left off. If you can’t log out immediately, locking the computer or enabling a screen saver requires a password to resume, which stops casual prying. Keeping credentials in a secure place (such as a password manager) avoids sharing or writing passwords where others can see them, reducing the risk of credential theft. Finally, never leaving patient data visible ensures bystander access is prevented, aligning with the protections around PHI.

Leaving the workstation unlocked lets anyone who passes by access your tools and patient information. Sharing a password with a coworker breaks security rules and makes auditing and accountability impossible. Simply closing the browser tab might hide information temporarily, but it doesn’t guarantee the session is secured or fully protected against re-access, and sensitive data could still be exposed if the session is restored or cached.