Author: California HealthCare Foundation; Manatt Health Solutions; Mittman, Robert

Source: External web site

Publication Date: February 23, 2009

Author: California HealthCare Foundation; Manatt Health Solutions; Mittman, Robert

Source: External web site

Publication Date: March 23, 2009

Author: Fuller, Sandra R.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: April 29, 2009

Author: Fuller, Sandra R.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: April 29, 2009

Author: Connecting for Health

Source: External - used with permission

Publication Date: April 30, 2009

This report presents seven principles for meaningful use and qualification or certification of EHRs.

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: U.S. National Committee for Vital and Health Statistics

Publication Date: May 19, 2009

Author: Seidman, Joshua J

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2009

Getting a return on health IT investment will require that patients receive information that helps them improve their health.

At a late February government affairs retreat of the eHealth Initiative (eHI), shortly after the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA),....

Author: Cassidy, Bonnie S.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2009

Title XIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, includes $19.2 billion in provisions for healthcare information technology and information management.1 Much of the money is dedicated to health IT adoption, but a significant amount goes toward training, education, and knowled....

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act requires adoption of measures for the “meaningful use” of health IT in order to unlock billions of dollars in incentives. After years of growing support for health IT adoption that improves healthcare, this is the time to get specific abou....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: June 11, 2009

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: June 11, 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: July 13, 2009

The groundbreaking American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes a number of provisions that offer opportunities to HIM professionals. For example, health IT extension programs will be developed to help healthcare providers adopt, implement, and effectively use certified electronic hea....

Author: HIT Policy Committee

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: July 16, 2009

Author: HIT Policy Committee

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: July 16, 2009

Author:

Source: AHIMA Advantage

Publication Date: September 2009

Author: Rollins, Genna

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2009

The success of health IT will hinge on how well it is planned and managed. Provisions in the stimulus bill that promote professional support and fund training offer exceptional opportunities to HIM programs, individuals, and the profession.



For years AHIMA and col....

Author: Taffel, Bruce H.

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 05, 2009

Abstract:

To bring the types of sustainable quality improvements and operating efficiencies that transform patient care into the practice environment, physicians must have tools that deliver clinically relevant information at the point of care. The HITECH provisions in the American Recove....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA Today

Publication Date: October 06, 2009

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) set aside $500 million for healthcare workforce development in professions like HIM. ARRA also expanded and even created new HIM jobs through the act’s $19 billion investment in the national transition to electronic health record systems.
....

Author:

Source: AHIMA Today

Publication Date: October 07, 2009

This is a time that many have hoped and wished for,” David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, national coordinator for health information technology, said during Tuesday’s general session. Blumenthal gave the audience an overview of current federal initiatives in health information technology and the contrib....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2009

This season Washington is like a healthcare cauldron, boiling away with bills and initiatives. Here’s a taste of a few that have come to the surface for HIM.
Healthcare Reform

As fall began, five congressional committees had released five different health reform bills. Pre....

Author: U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: November 25, 2009

Author: AHIMA Policy and Government Relations Team

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: December 2009

Dec 31, 2009 07:01 am

CMS and ONC released proposed and interim regulations on meaningful use and EHR certification late yesterday as the year wound down.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a 556-page a notice of proposed rulemaking defining the “m....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2010

This month the Journal introduces a new column on practical applications and emerging issues related to data standards.



The need for standards has never been more pervasive as the healthcare industry moves toward increased health IT adoption.


Provisio....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2010

Last year saw movement on major HIM issues, starting in January with the publication of the ICD-10-CM/PCS final rule. This was quickly followed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which has dominated healthcare discussions all year, matched only by the healthcare reform d....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA Advocacy and Policy

Publication Date: January 06, 2010

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: January 13, 2010

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: Federal Register

Publication Date: January 13, 2010

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: January 13, 2010

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: January 13, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: January 20, 2010

Jan 20, 2010 08:42 pm

AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series


Paper no. 1


On January 13, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking on the “meaningful use” EHR incentive program. On....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: January 21, 2010

Jan 20, 2010 11:46 pm
AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series

Paper no. 2

The first paper in the series offered a general overview of the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on January 13, 2....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: January 27, 2010

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2010

On January 13 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published a notice of proposed rulemaking containing the stage 1 criteria for meaningful use of certified electronic health records. As this is the prerequisite to receiving incentive payments provided through the American Recovery a....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: February 03, 2010

Feb 03, 2010 03:35 pm

AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series
Paper no. 4

Preceding papers in this series have reviewed requirements within the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Jan....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: February 11, 2010

Feb 11, 2010 12:01 am


AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series

Paper no. 5a


The fourth paper in this series reviewed the EHR certification requirements related to the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: February 11, 2010

Feb 11, 2010 12:02 am


AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series

Paper no. 5b


The fourth paper in this series reviewed the EHR certification requirements related to the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare....

Author: Zwyiak, Walt; Drazen, Erica; Computer Sciences Corporation

Source: External web site

Publication Date: February 15, 2010

The question for hospitals is becoming not whether but how to initiate integrated EHR use within their communities.

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: February 17, 2010

Feb 17, 2010 01:26 pm

AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series
Paper no. 6b

Papers 5a and 5b in this series reviewed the functionality measures for providers and hospitals described in the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers fo....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: February 17, 2010

Feb 17, 2010 01:25 pm



AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series

Paper no. 6a


Papers 5a and 5b in this series reviewed the functionality measures for providers and hospitals described in the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, publish....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: February 2010

Feb 24, 2010 04:21 pm


AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series
Paper no. 7

Preceding papers in this series have reviewed the requirements in the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: March 2010

Mar 03, 2010 03:59 pm


AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series Paper no. 8


Preceding papers in this series have reviewed the requirements in the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Janua....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: March 10, 2010

Mar 10, 2010 10:29 pm


AHIMA Meaningful Use White Paper Series

Paper no. 9


Preceding papers in this series have reviewed the requirements in the notice of proposed rulemaking on meaningful use, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: March 12, 2010

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2010

The series of snow storms that hit Washington, DC, in February shut down Congress and the federal government for several days. The storms only added to delays that have kept the healthcare industry in a state of flux, awaiting several rules from provisions in the American Recovery and Rein....

Author: Mills, Troy R.; Vavroch, Jared; Bahensky, James A.; Ward, Marcia M

Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management

Publication Date: April 2010

Abstract

The growth of electronic medical records (EMRs) is driven by the belief that EMRs will significantly improve healthcare providers’ performance and reduce healthcare costs. Evidence supporting these beliefs is limited, especially for small rural hospitals. A survey that focused on....

Author: Heubusch, Kevin

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2010

Improving the ability of patients to understand and apply health information goes hand in hand with designing systems that deliver it. Both are needed to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.

Recent federal initiatives to promote health IT, including the “meaningful use” EHR incen....

Author: McLendon, Kelly

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2010

Hospitals and providers seeking to receive payments under ARRA’s “meaningful use” incentive program must prove their eligibility by meeting objectives and associated measures for the use of their EHR systems. Some of the requirements of most interest to HIM professionals are related to a provi....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2010

There is increasing recognition that health IT should work for patients, too, providing them with information they need in ways that are convenient to them. But although the journey is beginning, no one has a map.

The health IT landscape is still uncharted territory for most US provi....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2010

The federal government is creating a stripped-down version of the nationwide health information network to aid the meaningful use program. What does it mean for HIEs?

Simple is not a word typically associated with electronic health information exchange. For years, the act of sending....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2010

As this issue goes to press, healthcare remains unsettled, waiting on the publication of key rules related to ARRA and the HITECH Act.

Until these rules appear, providers cannot assess with any certainty their willingness and ability to apply for the meaningful use incentive program....

Author: AHIMA Staff

Source: AHIMA Advocacy and Policy

Publication Date: July 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: July 27, 2010

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: July 28, 2010

Author: U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: July 28, 2010

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: August 2010

Chris Dimick


Aug 01, 2010 07:15 am


The regional extension center program might have some people experiencing déjà vu.

Granted, the REC program is an unprecedented attempt by the federal government to transition American healthcare to electronic health record sy....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2010

The final rule on the EHR incentive plan offers more "flexibility and choice" than the daunting proposed rule, adjusting the objectives and scaling back some of the measures. Now interested providers just need to figure out how to get with the program.

After perhaps the longest six m....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2010

Most of the 60 regional extension centers have officially launched operations and begun helping providers implement health IT.


The RECs were created under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provided $642 million in grants for the centers' first two....

Author: Costa, Kerry F

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2010

This month providers will begin seeing the first EHR products approved for use in the "meaningful use" incentive program. Another piece of the ARRA puzzle is falling into place.

In March 2010 the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) proposed two programs to test and approve EHR p....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2010

ARRA arrived with a bang in February 2009, but the regulations enabling the law's healthcare provisions have inched forward since then. Much of the responsibility for drafting regulation fell to the Department of Health and Human Services, which had a tall order to fill within deadlines mandate....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services received approximately $146 billion in funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It was tasked with disbursing that money through programs or objectives specified within the act's healthcare-related provisions.

Over the year....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: August 25, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: August 26, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: August 26, 2010

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2010

In July the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ended the waiting game for the HITECH privacy and security regulations, the meaningful use final rule, and the final rule on standards and certification.

HIM professionals and their organizations, anxious to familiarize thems....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2010

Meaningful use and pay-for-performance are shining a spotlight on quality measures. There are hundreds of measures in use, but most fall within three broad categories.

Just performing a healthcare service may not be enough to receive payment anymore. Increasingly, payers are ty....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: September 02, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: September 04, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: September 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: September 15, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: September 15, 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report | Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: September 2010

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report | Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: September 2010

Author: Emery, Steven; McDavid, Jan P; Robb, Deborah

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: September 25, 2010

Introduction

Nearly ten years since the Office of Inspector General (OIG) first issued guidance for physician practices on compliance with federal legislation, many physician practices still lack a proactive, cost-effective approach to achieving compliance. Taking this critical step can....

Author: Levinson, Stephen R

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: September 29, 2010

Introduction


Current national policy is actively encouraging universal adoption of interoperable electronic health records (EHRs) as an initial step on the journey to systemic healthcare reform. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides incentive funds to....

Author: Hyde, Linda A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2010

In October 2008 a Journal article titled "HIM Jobs of Tomorrow" profiled 11 new and revised jobs representing changes in HIM.1 One of the jobs highlighted was health data analyst.

Data analysis is not a new role in HIM, but it has been evolving appreciably. In the two years since th....

Author: Viola, Allison F.; Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2010

CMS will pay meaningful use bonuses through three programs: Medicare Fee for Service (FFS), Medicare Advantage (MA), and Medicaid programs.
FFS Payments to Providers

For eligible professionals (EPs), understanding the payment system is especially important, because they must ch....

Author: Bowens, Felicia M.; Frye, Patricia A.; Jones, Warren A.

Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management

Publication Date: October 2010

Author: Alschuler, Liora

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2010

The meaningful use final rule is spurring many organizations to implement electronic health records (EHRs). However, integrating clinical notes into EHRs continues to be a problem for many organizations.

The Health Story Project aims to streamline this process by supporting the deve....

Author: Ulmer, Stephen E.; Fuller, Jan C.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2010

The vocabulary standards adopted in the meaningful use final rule provide the language to capture primary health data required for the meaningful use objectives. It is through these standards that health information will be captured and transmitted. Knowing the vocabulary standards and underst....

Author: Kallem, Crystal

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2010

One of the top health policy outcome priorities associated with meaningful use is to improve the quality and efficiency of care for Medicare and Medicaid populations. Eligible hospitals and providers that seek to apply for stage 1 meaningful use incentives will be required to capture and repor....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA report

Publication Date: December 13, 2010

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2011

Seven stories unfolding in 2011 illustrate the sweeping changes under way in what will be an active and sometimes tumultuous year in health information management.
Each year brings change to HIM, whether it is coding modifications, compliance changes, or new technology. But 2011 promises....

Author: Holmes, Casey

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2011

The meaningful use program requires that problem lists in the EHR use a common dictionary through coding. It is a good first step in boosting the usefulness of problem lists, but getting to the next level will be a harder challenge-agreeing on standardized content and use.

Last mont....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2011

It is hard to say just what patient-centered care is, but just about everyone agrees that we lack it. The meaningful use program has focused providers, vendors, and consumer advocates around some basic first steps.

This January the meaningful use program began, and with it launched a....

Author: Benson, Sean

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2011

Little direct attention has been paid to clinical documentation in the context of meaningful use. Discussion and debate instead focused on electronic health records (EHRs), computerized physician order entry, and other health IT systems.

However, the electronic capture and exchange....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: February 2011

Editor’s note: In the cover story to this month’s print issue, Journal writer Chris Dimick explores the patient-centered measures in the meaningful use EHR incentive program. As experts tells him, the current stage 1 measures are a good start to getting patients more informatio....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments | AHIMA Advocacy and Policy

Publication Date: February 24, 2011

Author: Emery, Steven; McDavid, Jan P

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2011

Registration for the meaningful use program opened in January, and many HIM professionals and chief information officers are preparing their organizations to meet stage 1 meaningful use criteria. Two of the objectives directly affect an organization's release of information (ROI) process. Part....

Author: Eramo, Lisa A

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2011

The stage 1 meaningful use criteria do not require that eligible providers (EPs) and eligible hospitals (EHs) create patient portals, but portals may be the best option for meeting certain stage 1 patient access and electronic communication-related provisions. Portals may also be mandatory in....

Author: Holmes, Casey

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2011

Yesterday's problem lists aren't suited for tomorrow's electronic systems. Standardizing the content and use of problem lists will help leverage new tools, and new tools can help improve problem list accuracy.

The problem list, that cheat sheet to patient health, originated with Law....

Author: Heubusch, Kevin

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2011

This spring, as the first providers began attesting to their performance in stage 1 of the meaningful use program, the rest of the industry seemed too absorbed with the program's next phase to take much notice.

Through the spring a subgroup of the Health IT Policy Committee was prepa....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2011

The theme of this month's Journal is very timely on two accounts. First, the process for implementing ICD-10-CM/PCS is heating up as the industry is now six months from what many consider the first national milestone: the January 2012 compliance deadline for the HIPAA 5010 transaction upgrade.....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2011

Back in January 2009, when the deadline for ICD-10-CM/PCS was announced, the path to October 1, 2013, seemed straight and reasonably long. Then came ARRA/HITECH (February 2009), soon followed by the Affordable Care Act (March 2010).

Add in other federal and local regulations that nee....

Author: Lamar, Marilyn

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2011

Cloud computing has been suggested as a cost-effective way to use electronic health records (EHRs), particularly for small providers that may not have an IT staff. Cloud-based EHRs store patient health records and the EHR software on computers operated by the EHR vendor.

The healthc....

Author: Heubusch, Kevin

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2011

Approximately 77,000 healthcare providers had registered for the meaningful use EHR incentive programs through July, program officials told the Health IT Policy Committee at its August 3 meeting. That is a significant number, but it leaves plenty of eligible providers and hospitals still to re....

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....

Author: U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: September 12, 2011

Author: Knighton, Michelle; Ray, Alisa

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 02, 2011

Introduction

As hospitals anticipate the benefits of federal incentive payments for meaningful use of certified EHR technology, some face an unexpected hurdle. Many hospitals will be able to meet the EHR certification requirement through use of certified EHR technology purchased from vend....

Author: Levine, David L

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 02, 2011

Background

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) authorized incentive payments in 2009 through Medicare and Medicaid to clinicians and hospitals when they use Electronic Health Records privately and securely to achieve specified improvements in ca....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2011

As the meaningful use program marches forward, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) continues to sharpen its focus on health information exchange (HIE). One of the main components in the HITECH Act mandated "the use of certified EHR technology for electronic exchange of h....