Electronic Signature
An electronic signature, or e-signature, is any electronic means that indicates either that a person adopts the contents of an electronic message, or more broadly that the person who claims to have written a message is the one who wrote it and that the message received is the one that was sent. [1]
An electronic signature is similar to its paper and pen counterpart in that it validates the authentication of data presented or reviewed; it is a part of authorizing an electronic document as valid or reviewed by the person who is actually signing it. As usual, a signature is unique to the owner of the created signature.
In many countries, including the United States, electronic signatures have the same legal consequences as the more traditional forms of executing documents.
An electronic signature is not required under HIPAA at this time. But many EMR vendors have employed the electronic signature in their systems. Standards and definitions vary across states and organizations and there is no one accepted set of regulations governing electronic signatures. Depending on individual agency requirements, policies and software may be simple or complex. However, there is a basic understanding of the three main purposes of an electronic signature as defined by the American Health Information Management Association (AHMIA). These are: • Intent: An electronic signature signifies an approval of terms, confirmation that the signer either reviewed/approved the document or authored the document and approved the content
• Identity: An electronic signature identifies the person signing
• Integrity: A signature protects the document from repudiation (the signer later claiming that the entry was invalid) or alteration [2]
Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign Act) Definition
The E-Sign Act, signed into law on June 30, 2000, defines an e-signature as "an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record". [3]
