56 results.
Standards for Safety, Security, and Interoperability of Medical Devices in an Integrated Health Information Environment
Author: Williams, Patricia A.H
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: April 2017
Information sharing between healthcare organizations increasingly includes the use of electronic health records (EHRs) as well as data from medical devices that have been integrated into existing networks. When exchanging such data, providers should be mindful not only of the interoperabil....
Secure Clinical Texting: Patient Risk in High-Acuity Care
Author: Gellert, George A; Conklin, George S; Gibson, Lynn A
Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management
Publication Date: January 2017
Abstract
The Joint Commission recently reversed its prior authorization of the use of secure clinical texting to issue patient care orders, now again prohibiting texting of orders. However, the potential sole or exclusive use of clinical texts to transmit other patient care inform....
Uniting HIM and IT: Lessons Learned Offer Tangible Takeaways to Bridge the Disconnect and Bring Departments Together
Author: Haugen, Mary Beth; Dascher, Paula; Manor, Barbara
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: January 2017
Editor’s Note: This article is a follow-up to the piece “Bridging HIM’s Disconnect with IT” that appeared in the March 2016 Journal of AHIMA.
As healthcare organizations move toward value-based models, health information management (HIM) and informatio....
This Healthcare Technology is Off the Blockchain
Author: Journal of AHIMA Staff
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: January 2017
Predicting the future—particularly when it comes to technology—can be a fool’s errand. But it’s a pretty safe bet that one innovation those in the health IT world can expect to hear more about is “blockchain.”
If you’ve heard of blockchain....
Could the Pharmaceutical Industry Benefit from Full-Scale Adoption of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology with New Regulations?
Author: Coustasse, Alberto; Kimble, Craig A; Stanton, Robert B; Naylor, Mariah
Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management
Publication Date: October 2016
Abstract
Healthcare regulators are directing attention to the pharmaceutical supply chain with the passage of the Drug Quality and Security Act (DQSA) and the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). Adoption of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has the ability to im....
As Medical Apps Increase, Litigation Issues Continue
Author: Hedges, Ron
Source: AHIMA blog post | Journal of AHIMA - website
Publication Date: September 20, 2016
In my last post of 2015 I tried to predict what types of challenges health information management (HIM) professionals might have to deal with in 2016 and beyond. One prediction involved technological innovation, as I surmised that we could “expect to see more and more ‘apps’ being off....
Pokémon Go Poses Privacy and Security Concern for Healthcare Providers
Author: Butler, Mary
Source: Journal of AHIMA - website
Publication Date: July 21, 2016
The mobile app game that has thousand of players roaming streets, parks, and even workplaces—healthcare providers included—has health privacy experts concerned.
Pokémon Go is a smartphone app that uses a phone’s GPS and camera to help players search for virtual chara....
Bridging HIM's Disconnect with IT: Build Relationships First, Tackle Differences Later
Author: Haugen, Mary Beth; Richardson, Amy
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: March 2016
Consider the following fictional, and perhaps all-too-familiar, conversation between health information management (HIM) department staff and health information technology (IT) staff:
Chief Information Officer (CIO) to HIM Director: “Were you aware that last month we implem....
Getting Your Feet Wet with Open-Source Statistical Languages
Author: Taylor, Nathan Patrick
Source: AHIMA blog post | Journal of AHIMA - website
Publication Date: January 25, 2016
If you are new to healthcare analytics, it can be quite expensive to get up and running with a statistical application. Between the cost of the software itself and the instructional courses—not to mention your investment of time—just getting started could run several thousand dollars. Than....
Predicting 30- to 120-Day Readmission Risk among Medicare Fee-for-Service Patients Using Nonmedical Workers and Mobile Technology
Author: Ostrovsky, Andrey; O’Connor, Lori; Marshall, Olivia; Angelo, Amanda; Barrett, Kelsy; Majeski, Emily; Handrus, Maxwell; Levy, Jeffrey
Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management
Publication Date: 2016
Abstract
Objective: Hospital readmissions are a large source of wasteful healthcare spending, and current care transition models are too expensive to be sustainable. One way to circumvent cost-prohibitive care transition programs is complement nurse-staffed care transition program....
Watson vs. Big Data
Author: AHIMA Staff
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: July 2015
It is the matchup of the century—the towering hulk of healthcare’s Big Data versus the super computer known as Watson. Will Watson be able to take on this lumbering, untamed mass of information and whip it into submission?
One year ago, the Journal of AHIMA reported on the IBM su....
Connecting the Disparate: Middleware’s Role in Solving Healthcare’s EHR Interoperability Problems
Author: Voltz, Donald M
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: May 2015
According to data published on HealthIT.gov, 173 health IT vendors are supplying certified electronic health record (EHR) products to more than 4,500 hospitals. Despite wide penetration of EHRs in hospitals, clinics, and physician offices, a lack of access to patient information between sy....
Cracking Encryption: Despite Benefits, Technology Still Not Widely Used to Combat Multi-Million Dollar Breaches
Author: Butler, Mary
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: April 2015
In movies and on television lately, Hollywood has made encryption and decryption look exciting, glamorous, and world-saving. The film The Imitation Game and the BBC show The Bletchley Circle chronicle how British code breakers decrypted military strategy codes from the Nazi encryption tool....
Medical Device Security: Hollywood vs. Reality
Author: Butler, Mary
Source: Journal of AHIMA - website
Publication Date: April 2015
When former Vice President Dick Cheney revealed in 2013 that his heart surgeons modified the settings on his pacemaker to reduce the chances the device could be hacked by terrorists, the headlines were predictably alarmist. Fans of the Showtime hit “Homeland” immediately recognized th....
Analytic Hierarchy Process–based Method to Rank the Critical Success Factors of Implementing a Pharmacy Barcode System
Author: Alharthi, Hana; Sultana, Nahid; Al-amoudi, Amjaad; Basudan, Afrah
Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management
Publication Date: January 2015
Abstract
Pharmacy barcode scanning is used to reduce errors during the medication dispensing process. However, this technology has rarely been used in hospital pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. This article describes the barriers to successful implementation of a barcode scanning system....
Paging Dr. Watson: IBM’s Watson Supercomputer Now Being Used in Healthcare
Author: Lee, Howard
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: May 2014
When IBM announced that they were developing a supercomputing system called “Watson,” many fans of literary icon Sherlock Holmes thought of the London-based detective’s trusted friend Dr. John Watson—and not the computer’s actual namesake, IBM founder Thomas Watson. But the mistake isn’t....
Speech Recognition in the Electronic Health Record (2013 update)
Author: AHIMA
Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: September 2013
Introduction
Many technologies exist to assist with better clinical documentation and speech recognition technology (SRT) is one solution. Since SRT uses mathematic probabilities, the technology can be complicated. The goals of its use in healthcare today, however, are clear: Increase....
Leveraging Medical Terminology Management Software to Support Interoperability Initiatives
Author: Horowitz, Marc
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 02, 2011
Background:
HIM professionals face many important IT challenges in coming years. By October 1, 2013, US healthcare organizations must convert from the ICD-9 to the ICD-10 code sets in order to maintain regulatory compliance and ensure accurate reimbursements. Simultaneously, due to the A....
The Next Big Thing: Helping Your Organization Navigate Technology Transitions
Author: Devrick, Jill
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 02, 2011
Responding to Change
Change happens. It’s part of everyday life. If you’ve been in the HIM industry for more than a year or two, you’ve probably gone through at least one, if not several, changes in the technology that you use to do your job. New functionality and fancie....
popHealth Primer: ONC Funds Open-Source Software to Streamline Clinical Quality Measures Reporting for Meaningful Use Program
Author: Cottington, Sarah
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: September 2011
Reporting clinical quality measures from an electronic health record (EHR) system is new territory and can be challenging for providers. However, that is just what eligible professionals must do to participate in the meaningful use EHR incentive program.
Recognizing the challenge, t....
Distributed Guidelines (DiG): A Software Framework for Extending Automated Health Decision Support to the General Population
Author: Yaqub, Edwin; Barroso, Andre
Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management
Publication Date: July 2010
Sequestering EHR Data in IT Systems
Author: Miaoulis, William M
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: May 2009
There can be three situations under which healthcare organizations may need to sequester (or segregate) certain data within a medical record: placing a legal hold in connection with litigation, limiting disclosures of a record pursuant to a request by a patient, and restricting access to sensi....
Software Engineering of NLP-Based Computer-Assisted Coding Applications
Author: Morsch, Mark; Stoyla, Carol; Sheffer, Ronald Jr.; Potter, Brian
Source: AHIMA Computer-Assisted Coding Meeting
Publication Date: September 06, 2008
Computer-assisted Coding Software Improves Documentation, Coding, Compliance, and Revenue
Author: Benson, Sean; Bryant, Gloryanne H.
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 10, 2007
Introduction
Medical documentation and coding practices have undergone significant transformation in recent years. The cost of transcription, coder shortages, and an increasing emphasis on compliance have all played a role in moving the industry toward more efficient means of addressing....
Plugging in Physician Practices: Software Implementation Offers Insights on EHRs, Community Networking
Author: Koval, Dianne
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: March 2007
A pioneering data exchange network shares lessons from its practice management software implementations-a first step in bringing physician offices online.
Mark Foster, MD, waits for his Hudson Valley Primary Care staff to locate the medical record of his next patient. The Wa....
Development and Use of Automated Coding Software to Enhance Antifraud Activities
Author: Garvin, Jennifer Hornung; Watzlaf, Valerie J.M.; Moeini, Sohrab
Source: AHIMA Computer-Assisted Coding Meeting
Publication Date: September 06, 2006
Computer-Assisted Coding Software Improves Documentation, Coding, Compliance, and Revenue
Author: Benson, Sean
Source: AHIMA Computer-Assisted Coding Meeting
Publication Date: September 06, 2006
Perils of Customization
Author: Rollins, Gina
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: June 2006
Increasingly, providers are resisting the temptation to customize software. Many have learned the hard way that unique modifications lead to unique costs and unique complications.
We all like to think we’re special. But when it comes to implementing software, providers are usually b....
Getting off to a Good Start: Tips from the Launch of Two HIM Systems
Author: Harker, Kathy
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: June 2006
Northwest Health System followed a smooth launch of a coding product with something a little more ambitious—a beta version of a document management system.
In April 2005 Northwest Health System in Springdale, AR, implemented Web-based coding to boost productivity. The system....
Using Test Vignettes to Assess EHR Capabilities
Author: Gelzer, Reed D.; Trites, Patricia
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: May 2006
Test vignettes help evaluate how EHR products handle common documentation needs.
For those who are braving the EHR selection process, there is a great deal of guidance available on how to organize this difficult process. The steady advance of technical standards, functional standard....
Word Power: a Glossary of Software Licensing Terms
Author: AHIMA
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: April 2006
This Software license agreement is entered into by and between Sample Software, Inc, a Delaware corporation with principal offices located at 100 Maple Lane, Chicago, Illinois 60601 ("Sample") and _________________, a corporation with principal offices located at ________________ ("Licensee") a....
Wanted: User-friendly System: Usability Testing Evaluates Software through the Eyes of the User
Author: Giannangelo, Kathy
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: April 2006
When it comes to human interaction with computer applications, there is a belief that if the system gets the job done, even when the user struggles, then the application works. Susan Dray, PhD, a pioneer in human-computer interaction, begs to differ: "If the user can't use it, it doesn't work.....
Design for Better Data: How Software and Users Interact Onscreen Matters to Data Quality
Author: Williams, Adrian
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: February 2006
Well-designed software screens are more than just user-friendly. They encourage accurate, consistent data capture. An example from coding shows how.
Computer technology is supposed to make our lives easier, especially at work. Sometimes, however, it’s easy to question if this is t....
Incorporating Maps into Software
Author: Levy, Brian
Source: AHIMA Convention | AHIMA Clinical Vocabulary Mapping Meeting
Publication Date: October 15, 2005
Vocabularies: Critical Software Infrastructure for Interoperability and Adoption
Author: Kanter, Andrew S.
Source: AHIMA Convention | AHIMA Clinical Vocabulary Mapping Meeting
Publication Date: October 15, 2005
Automated Coding Software: Development and Use to Enhance Anti-Fraud Activities
Author: AHIMA
Source: AHIMA Foundation
Publication Date: July 11, 2005
Generating Discharge Summaries in the MIS and Using Speech Recognition Software
Author: Loos, Markus
Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 15, 2004
Introduction
The Charité--University of Medicine Berlin, is the largest hospital in Europe. Its four campuses have about 2,300 beds. The 9,384 employees care for about 100,000 inpatients and about 250,000 ambulatory patients per year. Approximately 4,900 students are instructed in....
Data Mining for Physician and Managed Care Organization
Author: Welfeld, Joseph A.
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 15, 2004
by Joseph A. Welfeld, FACHE
Introduction
Data mining often brings to mind complex and comprehensive software applications that take information from various data sources and attempt to extract valuable information. When operational executives hear the term, their eyes often glaze o....
Effectively Selecting a Medical Management System for Your Organization
Author: Clark, Jim
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 15, 2004
Medical management has become a catch-all phrase for any computerized system that helps an office run more efficiently. And therein lies the problem: what exactly is a medical management system? Simply put, medical management software is a tool that organizes the various medical and business t....
Health Information Career Opportunities in the World of Software
Author: King, Elaine; Nobles, Lori
Source: AHIMA Convention
Publication Date: October 25, 2003
A career in healthcare software development can be an attractive career choice for HIM professionals. Some people may become dissatisfied with their careers in hospitals because the environment may be seen as chaotic and unstable. The 24-x-7 schedule may not be considered conducive to family....
Software Development: From Conception to Implementation
Author: Mahoney, Mary Ellen
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: October 2003
How can a software development company make sure its HIM products meet the needs of its users? By using HIM professionals to design, test, market, implement, and support those products. At Cerner Corporation, experienced HIM professionals play a role in every step of the software development p....
Managing Applications, Systems Development Security Under HIPAA
Author: Ruano, Michael
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: September 02, 2003
Part seven in a 10-part series.
This article is the seventh of a 10-part series that introduces the domains of information security and relates them to federal HIPAA regulations. The information security domain of applications and systems development includes topics that cover the craft....
Stealth Software Deters PHI Theft
Author: Kawles, Terrance L.
Source: Journal of AHIMA
Publication Date: July 2003
As the leading edge of digital portability advances, the protections afforded the portability portion of HIPAA become strained. Under the final security standards, covered entities (CEs) must establish procedures and mechanisms to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availab....
Web-based HIPAA Tools Offer Concrete Solutions to Common Problems
Author: Niles, Dirk F.
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: February 02, 2003
How many times have you wished for a tool that would make HIPAA easier to manage? What if locating the right regulations was as simple as answering a few questions and receiving a compliance plan? New Web-based services offer users a whole new range of options that can take the mystery out of....
For Your Eyes Only--Putting Iris Scan Technology to Work
Author: Rhodes, Harry B.
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: January 02, 2003
On February 18, 2002, the University of Southern Alabama Medical Center (USAMC) became the first acute care facility to implement iris scan technology for system access control and user authentication. Currently one of only two hospitals in the country utilizing iris scan technology, USAMC is....
Biometric Devices and Record Security: What are Your Options?
Author: Stanley, Kendall R. Sr.
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: October 02, 2002
An employee walks up to the file room door, places her hand on the shiny glass panel, and in an instant the lock clicks, the door opens, and a digitized voice says, “Good morning, Ms. Jones.” Sound like the opening scene of the latest James Bond movie? It could be, but the fantastic vision of....
Plugged In and Powered Up: Using Association Membership as Your Career "Software"
Author:
Source: AHIMA Advantage
Publication Date: October 2002
Take a look at your desk. Chances are, amidst all the "to do" lists and files, you have a computer and a telephone. Why? These are your tools--your hardware, if you will--for doing your job well and staying in touch with what's happening beyond your desk and your department.
If the compute....
Biometric Technology Offers Secure Solutions
Author: Wheeler, Doug
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: May 02, 2002
The latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on emergency department visits indicates that the number of patient visits continues to climb. If the current increase in patient volume continues, emergency departments across the US will handle approximately 115 mill....
Key to Using Digital Certificates
Author: Barnett, David H.
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: April 02, 2002
This is the second article in a two-part series.
Background
For over 2,000 years, in all recorded histories and for all civilizations, sending secret messages required that both the sender and receiver share a common secret key. The key that decrypted a message was the same a....
Implementing a Mobile Coding Solution
Author: Colgan, Peter
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: July 02, 2001
Wireless computing technologies capable of enabling clinical and administrative decision support throughout the extended healthcare enterprise have arrived! Among the benefits of any wireless healthcare solution is the wide distribution of information throughout the enterprise. This benefit r....
Putting Your Finger on Biometrics: What Are the Issues?
Author: Mills, Chris
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: May 02, 2001
Secure user authentication involves one or more of the following: something you have (smart cards or private keys), something you know (passwords), or something that identifies you (biometrics). Those in need of “strong security” will want to combine two or more of these methods, but for the....
Internet "Cookie Jar"
Author: Hughes, Gwen
Source: In Confidence (newsletter) | AHIMA Q and A
Publication Date: May 02, 2001
Q: What does the term “cookie”mean when used in reference to the Internet? Are cookies something I need to be concerned about?
A: Cookies are bits of code sent to your computer by the Web sites you visit. These cookies allow sites to collect and store information about your visits. Cook....
Smart Cards May Make Security a Non-Issue
Author: Deike, Karen
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: November 02, 2000
Smart cards have long held enormous potential for governments in managing healthcare information and delivering benefits to clients with more efficiency, less fraud, and greater customer satisfaction. But critical to gaining acceptance of the cards is the ability to assure clients that the in....
Guerrilla HIPAA: Increasing Security, Efficiency, and Convenience with Direct Personal Assurance
Author: Walker, Trevor Hight
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: July 02, 2000
HIPAA: even the acronym sounds threatening. Ask your neighbors what they think it means.When I asked mine the most common response was “a multibillion dollar military operation.” They really weren’t that far off.
Seriously, just when CIOs thought it was safe to pack up their IT fatigues....
Smart Cards for Healthcare: a Follow-up Visit
Author: Ross, Bruce
Source: In Confidence (newsletter)
Publication Date: March 02, 2000
Smart cards are a peculiar subject when it comes to healthcare in the United States. They are viewed as everything from an up-andcoming product to an inscrutable and hard to integrate backwater technology. Today, all that is rapidly changing. As shown by its adoption by Microsoft, Sun Micro,....
Journal Q&A (1/99)
Author: AHIMA Staff
Source: AHIMA Q and A
Publication Date: January 02, 1999
Q: I hear a lot of technical terms being used lately by information systems staff and I feel like I'm not speaking their "jargon." Could you clarify the meaning of some of these terms? Specifically, they are SQL, Java, TCP/IP, and IPX.
A: SQL stands for structured query language, whi....