A health system implemented an EHR in multiple clinics, and the privacy professional discovers inconsistent interpretations of access policies. What is the BEST strategy for the privacy professional?

Conducting surveys of clinic employees' concerns is a proactive strategy for the privacy professional to address the inconsistent interpretations of access policies. This approach allows the professional to gather valuable insights directly from the employees who interact with the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system daily. By understanding their perspectives, the privacy professional can identify specific areas of confusion or misinterpretation regarding the access policies.

This method fosters open communication and encourages employees to voice their concerns and feedback, which can lead to better engagement and compliance with policies. Additionally, it helps the privacy professional pinpoint particular clinics or situations where policy understanding may be lacking, thus enabling targeted training or clarification efforts.

In contrast, other options might not address the core issue as effectively. Collaborating with HR to ensure appropriate discipline may address specific breaches of policy but does not help clarify the misunderstandings that led to inconsistent interpretations. Performing an audit under Attorney-Client Privilege could be useful in a different context, but it might limit the free exchange of concerns and feedback necessary to resolve interpretation issues. Auditing a random sampling of clinics could provide insights but may not capture the full spectrum of employee concerns and experiences. Hence, conducting surveys offers a comprehensive and inclusive avenue for improvement in the understanding of access policies.