Is it acceptable to share your HMIS password with another staff member to run a report?

Is it acceptable to share your HMIS password with another staff member to run a report?

• A. Yes, sharing is allowed.
• B. No, you should never share your HMIS password.
• C. Only if your supervisor approves.
• D. Only if the other person is using HMIS at the same time.

Answer: (B)

Sharing your HMIS password is not acceptable. The key idea is that each staff member must have a unique login tied to their role so actions in the system can be traced to the individual who performed them. When passwords are shared, there’s no way to attribute who ran a report or accessed sensitive client data, which compromises accountability and the audit trail. HMIS protects confidential information, so access should always follow the principle of least privilege and be done through your own account. If you need a report, log in with your credentials and run it, or have your supervisor or someone with the proper permissions run it for you or grant you the necessary access through official channels. Even with supervisor approval or both users being active at the same time, sharing passwords undermines security and data privacy. Follow the organization’s password and access policies to keep client data secure and auditable.

Sharing your HMIS password is not acceptable. The key idea is that each staff member must have a unique login tied to their role so actions in the system can be traced to the individual who performed them. When passwords are shared, there’s no way to attribute who ran a report or accessed sensitive client data, which compromises accountability and the audit trail. HMIS protects confidential information, so access should always follow the principle of least privilege and be done through your own account. If you need a report, log in with your credentials and run it, or have your supervisor or someone with the proper permissions run it for you or grant you the necessary access through official channels. Even with supervisor approval or both users being active at the same time, sharing passwords undermines security and data privacy. Follow the organization’s password and access policies to keep client data secure and auditable.