Dwan Thomas Flowers, MBA, RHIA, CCS
FHIMA Call for Elections
FHIMA Service Awards
Attention HIM Program
Students
Chat with the FHIMA
President
Legislative Committee: Have a Question on Legal Health Records
Topics?
Update
from the FHIMA Leadership Conference
HIM & Student Internships: An Analysis of the Current Decline
Upcoming Events
Recent Topics
CoP News You Can Use
Dwan
Thomas Flowers, MBA, RHIA, CCS
S.H.I.N.E.
Share Health Information & Network
Ethically
Returning from another, successful AHIMA Annual conference
always invigorates me. This year, the 80th
national conference was held in Seattle, Washington—just
about as far away from our lovely state as possible, if you
remain within the contiguous states of the USA! The
conference was filled with excellent topics and breakout
sessions. On the coding front, as you all can well imagine,
perhaps the hottest topics were related to the
implementation of ICD-10 and ICD-10-PCS. You could find
everything from Town Hall meetings to practical,
step-by-step instruction in coding procedural scenarios.
Other topics focused on Clinical Documentation Improvement
Programs, understanding case mix indices and a plethora of
other, related subject matter. Visit
www.ahima.org for a complete listing.
Prior to the official start of the
conference, AHIMA’s 2008 House of Delegates commenced on
October 12,
2008. As a member of AHIMA’s Professional Ethics Committee
(PEC), I had the pleasure of presenting a proposed Ethics
Self-Assessment to the delegates for discussion; thus,
this message’s focus on SHINE is appropriate. With
the many emerging technologies surrounding eMRs, come many
capabilities. We have the ability to access, massage,
report, release, edit, enhance, copy, cut and paste
protected health information. HIM professionals know that
just because we can does not mean we should. Some ethical
challenges may emerge as eMR technologies continue to
advance. The use of macros, pull down lists, templates and
pre-filled documentation as engines become “smarter” pose a
risk of exposing ethical, patient safety and quality issues.
Additionally, as we embrace nontraditional members within
the professional organization, it may be a good time to
reflect upon our individual ethical dashboards. The PEC will
continue to work on the Ethics Self-Assessment based on the
feedback received from the various HOD work teams.
All issues, which were voted upon at the
full House, passed. The topics included:
-
Proposed Credential in Health Data
Analytics
-
Proposed Bylaws Amendments on
Certification Governance/3rd Party
Accreditation
-
Proposed Privacy and Security Resolution
Thus, we have a new credential to promote,
the certified health data analyst (CHDA)! The information is
already available on the AHIMA website.
My only regret about the AHIMA Annual
Conference was that I had to cut my trip short. I did not
have the luxury of attending the rest of the sessions. I
heard great things about the President’s reception and
envied those who had the opportunity to visit the Space
Needle and Pike Place Fish Market, famous for tossing fish
and the FiSH! customer service philosophy.
Additionally, since our last communication,
FHIMA put on an action-packed Leadership Conference in Tampa
at the Marriott Renaissance. On September 19th – 20th, we
worked on our strategic plan, ultimately and unexpectedly,
changing our mission statement (soon to be published). We
had great speakers; Mo Bellio, of the Dottino Consulting
Group, spoke about Cognitive Techniques for Sustaining
Passionate Teams. We had the opportunity to purchase
the book, Grass Roots Leaders: The Brain Smart Revolution
in Business. Additionally, Kathleen Ranahan, Talent
Management Resources, spoke about Leadership Development:
What Does it Take to be a Successful Leader? She was
inspired by the turnout and positive energy, and we were
inspired by her practical approach to leadership. This is
the second year that the conference has been open to others;
initially, the intent was to invite Presidents and
Presidents-Elect from each region. However, with our
commitment to succession planning and developing future
leaders, we have opened up registration to accommodate a
much wider audience—hopefully, our future leaders are also
in attendance. The participants gave wonderful feedback; one
Regional leader stated that they will definitely be back
next year and will be paying for the rest of their Board
members to attend. What an awesome testament to the quality
of our offerings! The entire FHIMA team works tirelessly to
improve your experiences, and I am grateful for each
volunteer.
Speaking of being grateful, this will be the
final communication for 2008. Thanksgiving is just around
the corner. At this time of the year, I like to take the
time to acknowledge how grateful I am for all of the people
who make my life experience what it is. The holidays remind
us to give thanks in all things. I just wanted each of you
to know that I am very thankful for you. Every member
counts; every gesture—small or large—towards the advancement
of the science of eHIM is significant. Know that you are all
well appreciated, and I also challenge each of you to
remember to tell those who are special to you how grateful
you are for them. We often take our friends, family and
loved ones for granted.
So, Happy, Happy Holidays, and remember,
“Stars do not struggle to SHINE,” and I appreciate your
continued commitment to SHINE in 2008-2009.
FHIMA Call for Elections!
MAKE A
DIFFERENCE...
FHIMA Needs Enthusiastic Volunteers LIKE YOU!
Each year, we seek candidates for the following positions:
President-Elect: The position is a 3-year commitment.
The president-elect is a member of the Board and works closely
with the President and Management Steering Committee. The 2nd
year is the President, and the 3rd year, sits on the
Board as Past President/Director.
Qualifications:
1) Experience serving as an FHIMA Board Member
2) Active Membership in AHIMA and FHIMA
Director: This is a 2-year commitment. Each year
THREE Directors are voted on to the Board. They serve as
liaisons to Committees and conduct business of the Association.
Qualifications:
1) Experience serving as an FHIMA Committee Chair or officer in
a regional association or prior HIM leadership role in another
state.
2) Active Membership in AHIMA and FHIMA.
Delegate to AHIMA: This is a 2-year commitment. The
first year the AHIMA Delegate attends the AHIMA Annual meeting,
and the second year, attends the AHIMA Meeting AND sits on the
Board as Chief Delegate.
Qualifications:
1) FHIMA Board or Committee Chair experience.
2) Served as a delegate to FHIMA House of Delegates
3) Active Membership in AHIMA and FHIMA.
*FHIMA Board members who fulfill their term obligations will receive a
complimentary FULL registration to the FHIMA Annual Convention!
Click here
to obtain the 2009 Nominations Form
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Mock, MSM, RHIA
FHIMA Nominations Chair
Fax: (813) 464-8333
michelle.mock@wellcare.com
Voting will take place electronically in the Spring. Watch
for emails and postcard indicating when FHIMA polls are open!
FHIMA Service Awards
Nominate a HIM
Professional who deserves recognition!
Nominations will be taken soon for the following awards:
 Distinguished
Member
 Distinguished Service (FHIMA Member or
Non-member)
Literary
Outstanding Student
Outstanding New Professional
Outstanding Professional
Educator Award (NEW!)
Mentor Award (NEW!)
We have many
deserving members. Be sure to think about your colleagues and
nominate them for an award.
Click here for Service Awards Criteria
Click here for Service Awards Nomination Form
Attention HIM Program
Students!
2008 FHIMA
SCHOLARSHIPS INFORMATION
FHIMA is pleased to announce a continued support of
individuals pursuing Health Information Management careers.
FHIMA has again voted to provide scholarships this year to
students enrolled in both undergraduate and graduate studies
related to the Health Information Management field. In addition,
FHIMA will again award the Charlotte Stockton Memorial
Scholarship.
As in years past,
scholarships will be awarded to FHIMA members to defray the cost
of a Health Information Management related education.
FHIMA announces that it will again award the Charlotte Stockton
Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship honors the memory of
Charlotte Stockton (Stat Solutions, Inc. and Professional
Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.) who was committed to the HIM
Profession. This scholarship will be offered to qualified
applicants enrolled in AHIMA approved Coding Certificate
programs.
Click here for general FHIMA Scholarships Application
Click here for Charlotte Stockton Memorial Scholarship
for Coding Certificate Program students
Chat with the FHIMA
President!
FHIMA members are invited to chat with the FHIMA
President on Friday, December 12 from 4-5pm (EST).
These chat sessions are part of an effort to
improve communication with our members regarding FHIMA
activities and also allow members to ask questions about FHIMA.
This is your opportunity to share anything that is on your
mind.
To join the chat on December 12th, on
the day of the chat you will need to log on to the
Geographic: Florida CoP at
http://cop.ahima.org/COP/GeographicFlorida/
If you haven’t joined the Florida CoP yet,
JOIN! It’s easy! Go to AHIMA at
www.ahima.org and log into myAHIMA. Click on Communities of
Practice and this will take you to the CoP Homepage. Click on
the passport icon labeled “Join/Visit Communities. Click on “G”
for Geographic and look for “Geographic: Florida” (no
subtitles). Click on the “join” box to the far right. You are
now a member of the Florida Community of Practice!
Once you are in the CoP, you will need to click
on the “Chat With Peers” Icon on the left side of your screen to
join the chat.
Looking forward to chatting with everyone soon!
Legislative Committee: Have a Question on Legal Health
Records Topics?
Have a Question on Legal Health Records
topics?
FHIMA has great resources for you! The FHIMA
Legal Manual and the Legislative Committee!
The FHIMA Legislative Committee will be hard at
work this year revising the FHIMA Legal Manual to reflect any
changes made since the last version was published. Providers
are encouraged to purchase the Legal Manual as it is a valuable
resource for all Legal health record issues.
The Legislative Committee also welcomes any
question from FHIMA members regarding Legal Health Records
topics. The Legislative Committee is committed to answering
these questions as quickly and accurately as possible. The
Legislative Committee does its very best to research your
question and provide accurate responses but you should always
also consult appropriate legal counsel.
Please contact the Legislative Committee
co-chairs Kelly McLendon,
kmclendon@hixperts.com, or Eudelia ‘Skip’ Thomas,
ethomas@fccj.edu, with your questions.
Update from the
FHIMA Leadership Conference - September 19th & 20th
By: Kimberly Eichner, MBA, RHIA
President Elect FHIMA
On September 19th and 20th,
the FHIMA Board, Regional Presidents and Presidents-Elect
gathered in Tampa at the Renaissance Hotel International Plaza
for the annual FHIMA Leadership Conference. What a wonderful
experience to gather and “SHINE” with such talented leaders in
our profession.
The Leadership meeting kicked off on Friday with
a warm welcome and engaging icebreaker facilitated by President
Dwan Thomas-Flowers and President-Elect Kimberly Eichner. This
first segment of the morning provided an opportunity for
collaboration and allowed each individual to “light” up the room
with their expectations and goals for the conference.
Kathleen Ranahan, President of Talent Management
Resources navigated us through “Understanding the Core
Competencies of Leadership”. Her presentation was rich in
content and filled with real life examples that can be applied
in multiple settings. Here are a few key takeaways and some
ideas on how to apply to FHIMA.
Regional leaders or committee chairs have
you asked what your members need? Members have you asked how
you can get involved in FHIMA or asked your employer for a
platform to educate your workforce or community regarding
hot topics in HIM?
Everything cannot be a priority Identify a
few key areas and stick with it!!
Are there barriers to your achievement of success? What are
they (lack of knowledge, time etc.) and how can you remove barriers? How are you
personally motivating or recognizing another fellow professional?
We closed the day with an informative
presentation by Lori Langley our Chief Delegate regarding her
experience at AHIMA Team Talks/Leadership including the most
recent AHIMA updates and plans for the coming year.
Saturday we spent the day with Mo Bello of
Dottino Consulting Group. Mo focused the group on learning
cognitive techniques for sustaining passionate teams. The day
was so exciting and valuable to the attendees that several hours
were extended to the session. Mo filled our heads with ideas and
most importantly tools to implement as a method to build and
sustain a great organization.
Saturday’s Workshop objectives
-
Introduce management crisis and how to
recognize characteristics
-
Identify need for new management model that
engages team toward achieving preeminent performance
-
Understand principles and functionality of
the brain and how it can be harnessed to master
communication, creativity and job excellence.
After a delicious and calorie enhanced lunch, we
spent time reviewing the FHIMA Strategic Plan and how to align
these goals and objectives to Regional plans. Time was also
spent assessing the current FHIMA mission and vision statements.
As all great organizations and leaders know it is imperative the
mission statement guide everything you do and establish
culture. After plenty of debate and careful consideration the
following mission statement was agreed upon by the group.
“FHIMA is the membership organization of health
information management which fosters the professional
development of its members through education, communication and
advocacy”
Every year the FHIMA Leadership Conference
serves as a conduit for our regions to come together not only to
focus on leadership development, but also to share our
commitment to the Health Information Management profession. This
experience was the first step in answering the call by our
President Dwan Thomas-Flowers, to SHINE brightly in 2009 by
uniting together and follow the lead of FHIMA.
HIM & Student Internships: An Analysis of the Current Decline
By: Dwan Thomas-Flowers, MBA, RHIA, 2008-2009 FHIMA President
With the all of the focus on the national
shortage of allied healthcare professionals including Health
Information professionals and coders, much discussion has ensued
about how to increase mentoring, how to engage existing
professionals in bridging the gap from graduation to employment
or how to entice professionals to offer their healthcare
facilities as practicum sites. Increasingly, seasoned
professionals who may be in a position to accept students for
their internships, externships, practicums, management
affiliations and the like have revealed an underlying them,
which is different the usual reasons for declining to
participate.
One of the more common reasons offered by HIM
professionals is that there is no time to accept a student.
This is probably the most popular response followed by, “I
cannot afford to take a student right now.” However, analyzing
these statements further reveals that there is an increasing
number of suboptimal student intern experiences. Reports of
students’ not showing up on time, dressing less than
professionally and not being thoroughly prepared with supplies
such as a pen and notepad have surfaced. Additionally, some
professionals have summed it up in one word—entitlement. It has
been stated that students are approaching the internships not as
if it is a privilege but as if the experience is something that
is due to them. In extreme cases, there have been reports of
students sleeping, appearing with less than acceptable hygiene
and grooming, asking for lunch money, displaying attendance
problems and even borrowing items without permission.
So, where is the onus? Where is the root of the
problem? There is no one source of the problem. Although it is
ultimately the student’s responsibility to prove himself worthy
of consideration for an internship, it is also up to the
practicum managers to lead by example. Additionally, it has been
rumored that the increasingly stringent and ever-increasing
amount state mandates has left little time for covering
professional etiquette within the HIM programs. Thus, some of
the message is lost while trying to cover all of the program
requirements. Some of the behaviors may even be generational.
Many of the college-aged students have been stereotypically
described with terms such as “feeling sense of entitlement,”
highly valuing time away from work,“ and often as
“grunge-dressing-independent-thinking-what’s-in-it-for-me-ers.”
There is another way of describing them. Some
have already coined them Generation X, but there is no clearly
consistent idea of when the generation begins and ends. It may
be fair to say that it could be generation, or it could be just
a movement or mindset, regardless of a person’s date of birth.
However, there is another way to describe them, which may
conjure another view. Technologically-savvy, creative project
managers who value work-life balance and acknowledge that
re-charging one’s batteries is necessary to produce optimally is
another description. To grow and embrace the future, it is
vital that senior leaders embrace this generation, capitalize on
their strengths and mimic their desire to utilize technology to
optimal capacity in order to increase productivity.
In any case, it is a joint responsibility of the
student, the HIM program manager and the professional who is
managing the practicum to ensure that the internship is a
valuable experience for all. The student should showcase his or
her talents. The HIM program manager and the practicum manager
must have a shared vision of the students’ goals and must
communicate with one another. The practicum manager must also
acknowledge that he or she is responsible for managing that
experience. A student is not just free labor, but there should
be agreed upon projects, tasks and performance standards.
It is indeed a privilege for students to be
accepted into a facility as an intern. It would benefit the
student to treat the entire episode as if it is an interview.
Leaving a good impression on the leaders can pay off in future
career pursuits. Making the most of each opportunity for career
exposure is paramount. Students have the chance to show how
dependable they are, display a level of professionalism that
would be a desirable trait for any organization and share new
trends and industry insight with the HIM professional.
Still, program directors and educators must take
each opportunity to connect the course content to real life
examples and scenarios. Punctuality, being prepared to take
notes and dressing professionally should be the minimum
expectation for any student embarking upon a professional
career. Additionally, providing an outline of the activities,
student expectations and preceptor expectations to share with
the practicum manager should be a requirement. The performance
dimensions do tend to vary from program to program.
Finally, HIM professionals in the field who
accept students must lead by example. Be respectful of others’
time. Turn off cell phones, pagers, PDAs and other distracting
devices; ignore the urge to send a text during a meeting. Dress
as if you are preparing for the next level of leadership, if you
expect the same of the students. Be aware that while it may be
mutually beneficial to have students work on specific projects
to gain practical experience, it is not about having “free”
workers. Someone must still manage the student’s experience and
hold that student accountable as an employee would be.
So, to those students who are excellent, please
continue to SHINE. Unfortunately, a few bad apples can spoil it
for the entire bunch. There have been reports of discontinuing
contracts or discontinuing the practice of accepting interns
reported on AHIMA’s Community of Practice. This is damaging to
the relationships that schools have with neighboring facilities.
I encourage each professional who has had a bad experience with
an intern to reach out to that individual to perhaps establish
relationship via mentoring.
Therefore, when the words are uttered, “I can’t
afford to take a student right now.” I challenge each
credentialed professional with the statement, “You cannot afford
not to take a student right now.” We have to be prepared
to take steps to sustain the HIM profession. Yes, we have
generational differences that will affect the workforce, but it
is imperative that we each assist in succession planning—growing
prepared, credentialed leaders for tomorrow. The knowledge that
students can gain from just shadowing a seasoned HIM
professional is invaluable. The three-pronged partnership among
the student, the instructor and the facility’s HIM practicum
manager is essential to advancing the science of e-HIM.
Upcoming Events
November 17 -
ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Call for Physicians
Physicians may now register for the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS National
Provider Conference Call on November 17, 12:30–2:30 p.m. EST.
Register for this call or find additional information about
this conference call and access the ICD-10 overview presentation
that will be discussed during the call by
clicking here. The transcript of the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS
National Provider Conference Call for Hospital Staff that was
held on October 14 is now available;
click here to download.
November 20 -
Coding Clinic update
Faculty: Maria Alizondo, RHIT, and Kristi Stanton, RHIT,
CCS, CPC
Coding Clinic
Update reviews coding advice published since the last audio
seminar update. Increase your awareness of ICD-9-CM
diagnosis and procedure code selection recently published in
Coding Clinic. Facility reporting will benefit from
enhanced knowledge of the latest official coding advice.
Case scenarios will illustrate these coding principles. Due
to the amount of material to be covered, the presentation
will last the entire 90 minutes. There will be no question
and answer session. For registration and information,
visit here or call (800) 335-5535. Please refer to
source code MX503 when registering.
December 2 – 1 p.m. CST - Medical Identity Theft: A Virtual
Meeting
Medical identity theft is costly, destroys lives and financial
stability, and it’s up to health information professionals to
combat it. This virtual meeting will define the issue of medical
identity theft, identify its various forms, discuss those
involved and affected by it (including stakeholders,
perpetrators, and victims), and offer tips on prevention,
detection, and responses to this growing problem.
Benefits to participants:
-
Understand the
differences between identity theft and medical identity
theft
-
Learn how to
fortify your organization's practices to address gaps in
security
-
Identify a
proactive mitigation process to immediately implement if
theft occurs
-
Develop steps your
organization can take to support MIT victims
This is a re-broadcast of the September 8 taping. A live
question and answer session will take place after the meeting.
Click here for registration information and early bird
savings deadline.
December 18 - CMS Announces Listening Session on HACs
CMS announced in the
Federal Register [73FR64618] last week that a listening
session is being conducted by CMS and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to solicit informal comments
on hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) and hospital
outpatient healthcare-associated conditions in preparation
for the fiscal year 2010 inpatient prospective payment
system and calendar year 2010 outpatient prospective payment
system (OPPS) rulemaking processes. The meeting is scheduled
for December 18, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. EST. Further information
regarding this listening session will be posted on the
HAC section of the CMS Web site and the
OPPS section of the CMS Web site. The meeting is open to
the public, but attendance is limited to space and
teleconference lines available.
Register here.
CMS to Announce Medical Home Demonstration Sites in December
CMS Announces Hold on RAC Program The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Tuesday that an automatic
stay has been placed on the contract work of the Recovery
Audit Contractor (RAC) program. The action is the result of
protests by two unsuccessful bidders for the RAC program
filed with the General Accountability Office (GAO),
according to the CMS Web site. The automatic stay will stop
work for all four RAC regional awards until a determination
is made by GAO. GAO has 100 days to issue its decision. To
read the notice, go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/RAC.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is
expected to announce sites in December for a new medical
home demonstration that will offer eligible physician
practices a monthly fee for participating, according to
BNA’s Health Care Policy. The purpose of the three-year
demonstration is to determine whether medical homes reduce
costs to Medicare by avoiding unnecessary care, increasing
preventive care, improving patient adherence, and avoiding
hospitalization. The demonstration was authorized for eight
areas by the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, which
considered a medical home as a practice where a physician
could provide targeted, comprehensive, and coordinated care
for those beneficiaries who require medical monitoring.
Under the current design, eligible practices for the
demonstration will have to meet 17 capabilities, including
using data to track patients, an electronic medical record,
and establishing written standards for patient access to
care. View the
fact sheet on the medical home demonstration.
December 9 - CMS Hosts Listening Session on Value-based
Purchasing
CMS will conduct a listening session on December 9 as
part of the development of a plan for the transition to a
value-based purchasing program for physicians and other
professional services as required by section 131(d) of the
Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of
2008. The purpose of the listening session is to solicit
comments on an issues paper that will present the range of
issues being considered for plan development. Physicians,
physician associations, and all others interested in the
pursuit of new payment approaches to enhance the quality and
efficiency of physicians and other professional services are
invited to participate. The issues paper will be posted on
the
CMS Web site no later than November 28. The meeting is
open to the public, but attendance is limited to space and
teleconference lines available.
Click here to register.
January 31 Deadline - Get Involved
with AHIMA through Elected Positions
It’s not too early to start considering a nomination for an
elected position on the AHIMA Board of Directors, Commission
on Certification of Health Informatics and Information
Management Professionals, or the Council on Certification.
This year we have a new, convenient, online application for
you to complete. We invite everyone who has an interest in
volunteering for an AHIMA elected position to submit an
application to serve. The deadline for elected positions
is January 31, 2009. Click
here for more information.
Recent Topics
Electronic Medical Records: Slow but Steady Growth in Ambulatory
Care
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
(HIMSS)/HIMSS Analytics Ambulatory Healthcare Information
Technology (IT) Survey finds about 30 percent of respondents use
some component of the electronic medical record (EMR) in their
organization.
Market growth of electronic medical record implementations in
ambulatory healthcare settings, such as private medical
practices or specialty clinics, continues at a slow but steady
pace, according to results from the Ambulatory Healthcare IT
Survey, conducted by HIMSS and HIMSS Analytics. The 2008 survey
collected information about key technology use in the ambulatory
market, such as EMRs and e-prescribing. View the
PDF of the report or the
press release.
OIG Report on CMS and HIPAA Security Rule
A recent report states that the US Department of Health and
Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) has found
that CMS has taken limited actions to ensure that covered
entities adequately implemented the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) security
rule. “These actions had not provided effective oversight or
encouraged enforcement of the HIPAA security rule by covered
entities,” the report states.
The HIPAA security rule requires a covered entity, such as a
health plan or healthcare provider that transmits any health
information in electronic form, to (1) ensure the integrity
and confidentiality of the information, (2) protect against
any reasonably anticipated threats or risks to the security
or integrity of the information, and (3) protect against
unauthorized uses or disclosures of the information, the
report states. OIG recommended that CMS establish policies
and procedures for conducting HIPAA security rule compliance
reviews of covered entities. “CMS did not agree with our
findings because it believed that its complaint-driven
enforcement process has furthered the goal of voluntary
compliance. However, CMS agreed with our recommendation to
establish specific policies and procedures for conducting
compliance reviews of covered entities,” the report states.
Read the
executive summary or
full report
Patient Accessible Electronic Health
Records: Exploring Recommendations for Successful
Implementation Strategies
Providing patients with access to their electronic health
records (EHRs) offers great promise to improve patient
health and satisfaction with their care, as well to improve
professional and organizational approaches to healthcare.
Although many benefits have been identified, there are many
questions about best practices for the implementation of
patient accessible EHRs.
A new report by the Journal of Medical Internet Research
recommends healthcare professionals and organizations should
consider the potential benefits and risks of patient access
when developing EHR strategies. Flexible, standardized, and
interoperable solutions must be integrated with
outcomes-based research to activate effectively patients as
partners in their healthcare.
Click here to read the report.
Study: ID Numbers Would
Facilitate Healthcare Quality, Efficiency
A recent study by the Rand Corporation found that creating a
unique patient identification number would reduce medical
errors, simplify the use of electronic medical records, and
protect patient privacy. The report, “Identity Crisis: An
Examination of the Costs and Benefits of a Unique Patient
Identifier for the US Health Care System,” acknowledges that
the identification system could cost as much as $11 billion,
but the effort would return more in benefits to the
country’s healthcare system. The complete report is
available
here
HRSA Announces EHR, HIT Grants
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
recently awarded $18.9 million in grants to enable health
networks and multi-site health centers to adopt and
implement electronic health records and health information
technology innovations.
Click here for a complete list of grant recipients.
AHRQ Issues Interim Guidance for Patient Safety
Organizations
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as
part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
is in the process of developing a final rule to implement
the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005
(Patient Safety Act). Because of strong interest within the
healthcare community, HHS has decided to begin the process
of listing patient safety organizations (PSOs) and
implementing the protections of the Patient Safety Act prior
to the promulgation of the final rule.
HHS has developed interim guidance that outlines the
statutory requirements and relevant sections of the proposed
rule (issued on February 12) that are binding during the
interim period. The interim guidance will be in force until
the effective date of the final rule. On such date, any
entity that has been listed as a PSO must be in compliance
with all of the requirements of the final rule.
Click here for the proposed rule and
here for the interim guidance.
ICD-10 Fact Sheet Now Available
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has
developed an ICD-10 fact sheet which provides general
information about the tenth edition of International
Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification/Procedure
Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS). The fact sheet includes
benefits of adopting the new coding system, structural
differences between ICD-9–CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS, and
implementation planning recommendations.
Click here to download the fact sheet.
CoP News You Can Use
Do you need help with the CoP or BoK? There are a number of
options available for you.
CoP/BoK Quick Help Guides—We've
developed handouts to help you use the Communities of Practice
(CoP) and the FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge (BoK) more
effectively and efficiently. There are guides for new CoP users,
new BoK users, advanced users (beyond the basics), CoP
facilitators, or those interested in becoming CoP facilitators.
(These documents are in PDF format.)
Click here to access them.
All pages in the CoP have a toolbar at the top, where you will
find the help icon (a life preserver); click there for the CoP
user guide. This guide is designed to help you understand and
use the features of the CoP or send a message to customer
relations regarding issues with the CoP or BoK, including
technical issues. Each section of the CoP will have a help link
on the top right; click on it for help about that particular
function.
To go to the CoP or BoK, visit
www.ahima.org. Log in using your AHIMA ID number and
password in myAHIMA on the right side. Then click on
Communities of Practice or Body of Knowledge in myAHIMA.
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