An individual designated as an inpatient coder may have access to an electronic health record to code the record. Under what access security mechanism is the coder allowed access to the system?

The correct choice, role-based access security, is essential in healthcare settings as it allows individuals to access specific information based on their job responsibilities. In the case of an inpatient coder, their role requires access to patient records to perform accurate coding for diagnoses and procedures.

With role-based access, the healthcare organization ensures that coders can only view the necessary information pertinent to their tasks, protecting sensitive patient data from unauthorized access. This approach promotes security and compliance with regulations such as HIPAA while allowing staff to perform their essential duties effectively.

Other access mechanisms, like user-based access, offer permissions tailored to individual users, which can lead to complexities and management challenges. Context-based access varies permissions depending on the circumstances, which isn't suitable for the consistent needs of inpatient coders. Lastly, situation-based access is more focused on real-time conditions rather than predefined roles and responsibilities, making it less effective in this structured environment.