Essay about Analyzing Info Flow in an Organization

Submitted By VGanikar
Words: 472
Pages: 2

I have chosen to select the organization Palomar Health. Palomar Health is a medical hospital organization located in the San Diego area. Information in this organization is used to keep track of patients, their medical information and billing information. Just those broad categories can include information such as social security numbers, insurance information, blood types and the people who have access to that information on a regular basis. In an organization like this where there is so much personal data that if in the wrong hands can prove detrimental to many people’s lives, there needs to be a set of security measures in place. Before the age of computers a lot of things were written or typed and stored in a file cabinet or several file cabinets. Security back then consisted of little more than locks on cabinet towers or a locked door of the room the files were stored in.
With the ever increasing use of computers in the workplace and organizations and the migration of data from paper to digital security becomes an even greater concern. This affects IT systems in that Information System Architects have to consider the security options available in the technologies they are implementing. Where before data transmission consisted of copying a file and physical delivery of said file, today it can be as easy as clicking three buttons. For example, a donor giving blood, where once there would be a folder with the donors name and information there is now a file in a computer with that information.
Information systems enhance existing business processes at Palomar Health by saving space, time and money. IT systems save space by condensing files that would normally take up rooms on paper to a hard drive no larger than a paper back novel. They save time because locating information is as simple as searching for it using a dialogue box. They save money by default because of reduction in space and time.