Authors: Mole, Damian J.¹; Fox, Colin²; Napolitano, Giulio²

Source: Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 88, Number 6, October 2006 , pp. 550-553(4)

Publisher: The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this work was to evaluate the safeguards implemented by surgical trainees to protect the confidentiality of electronic patient data through a structured questionnaire sent to Northern Ireland surgical trainees.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A group of 32 basic and higher surgical trainees attending a meeting of the Northern Ireland Association of Surgeons-in-Training were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their computer use, UK Data Protection Act, 1988 registration and electronic data confidentiality practices.

RESULTS: Of these 32 trainees, 29 returned completed questionnaires of whom 26 trainees regularly stored sensitive patient data for audit or research purposes on a computer. Only one person was registered under the Data Protection Act, 1988. Of the computers used to store and analyse sensitive data, only 3 of 14 desktops, 8 of 19 laptops and 3 of 14 hand-held computers forced a password logon. Of the 29 trainees, 16 used the same password for all machines, and 25 of 27 passwords were less than 8 characters long. Two respondents declined to reveal details of their secure passwords. Half of all trainees had never adjusted their internet security settings, despite all 14 desktops, 16 of 19 laptops and 5 of 14 hand-helds being routinely connected to the internet. Of the 29 trainees, 28 never encrypted their sensitive data files. Ten trainees had sent unencrypted sensitive patient data over the internet, using a non-secure server.

CONCLUSIONS: Electronic data confidentiality practices amongst Northern Ireland surgical trainees are unsafe. Simple practical measures to safeguard confidentiality are recommended.

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Keywords: ELECTRONIC DATA; CONFIDENTIALITY; SURGICAL TRAINEES; QUESTIONNAIRE

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1308/003588406X117089

Affiliations: 1: Department of Surgery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK 2: Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK

Publication date: 2006-10-01

More about this publication?

• The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England is the official journal of the College and is published eight times a year in January, March, April, May, July, September, October and November. The main aim of the journal is to publish high quality, peer-reviewed papers that relate to all branches of surgery.
  
  The Annals also includes letters and comments, a regular technical section, NICE news, controversial topics, CORESS feedback, book reviews and the best trainee presentations from England and Wales. The editorial board is composed of members of the College Council and experts from across the surgical specialties.
  
  Archive issues of the Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England are available via the PubMed Central database
  
  To view articles that have been published online ahead of print please click here
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