All healthcare facilities depend on computer information systems. The systems must protect all patient and other important hospital data. Access to patient data is protected by firewalls built into the hospital's computer system. This does not assure that the systems may not be hacked and data lost or compromised from a breach of the system. The Joint Commission's sentinel event alert included the following risk factors related to technology: a) inadequate technology planning; b) overreliance on vendor advice, without oversight of an objective third party; c) failure to carefully plan and integrate workflow processes related to the use of technology, and d) failure to update, upgrade, and fit technology, resulting in potentially hazardous workarounds.

Please help me to address the risks that need to be mitigated when planning and implementing the new telemedicine network. Consider this telemedicine initiative on the state and national level. Address the issue of credentialing of physicians who would need to be granted telemedicine privileges. Since the Internal Medicine Department would like to create a telemedicine network that crosses state lines, this raises uncertainty about the jurisdiction in which a malpractice suit may be filed and what state law should be applied. To illustrate, different statutes of limitation or different statutory limitations on the amount of financial compensation (or so called in the legal field "medmal cap") that can be awarded to successful plaintiffs may apply. Consider HIPAA regulations concerning protection of patient information. Note the location (city and state) of your hypothetical healthcare system at the top portion of your memo. Research and use state specific applicable regulations.

Thank you