In Brandon, Manitoba, local healthcare providers and a healthcare information software vendor have developed a health information network that improves communication between patients and local physicians and other healthcare providers. The system relies on an already$-$existing high$-$speed network to provide interactive health records that can be used by local facilities, physicians, pharmacies, and patients. Patients are able to make appointments, check their health records for test results, and communicate with their physicians via the Internet. Physicians will also be able to communicate with one another and with local hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. The system was designed to ensure the security, privacy and confidentiality of data. The server is a centralized data warehouse housed with Manitoba Health. This way, the provincial government also has access to the information and manages the server for the other information networks in the province.

Because more than $70$ percent of Brandon residents use the Internet, the population is well prepared to use the health network to improve healthcare. Residents who do not own computers will have access to computer labs in schools, libraries, and other public locations.

Baseline data for the project will be gathered through health risk assessments and patients will gain access to the health information network via a sign$-$in process through a patient portal. The results of the health risk assessments will provide a baseline of data about the community and will allow the community to assess the impact of this project on its health status. Manitoba Health has developed standards for how the data will be collected for these networks.

Resource to review: Professional Practice Brief: An IT Primer for Interoperable Health Information $($PPB $0026\mathrm{.}9)$

Questions:

$1.$ The Brandon project links various data from facilities, nursing homes, physicians, clinics and Manitoba Health. Within the PPB$,$ there are types of network topology.

a$.$ What topology would best fit this type of scenario and discuss your reasoning.

b$.$ Make a diagram of a network topology that would help show the type of connection that this network would have between all parties.

$2.$ What key data elements are common between the various databases? Identify $5$ of these data elements. Why do you feel that data standards are crucial for these data elements?

$3.$ Confidentiality, privacy and security are of special concern when a large number of individuals access a database containing personal identifiable data.

a$.$ List $5$ sources that will provide information helpful in designing a data security program.

b$.$ For each specified resource, identify the particular expertise that the organization has, and why you selected it$.($NOTE: This is not a question of identifying vendors.$)$

$4.$ Because this database links data from a variety of sites of care such as hospitals, nursing homes, and physicians$$ offices, what data sets should be used to define data elements? If data elements were defined differently in various data sets and$/$or healthcare information standards, which