Author: Jeffries, Jane

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2001

What are the cornerstones of a thriving coding department? How can you ensure your coding team is built on a foundation of education, compliance, and satisfaction? We spoke with several coding managers to collect solutions and guidance for common coding challenges.

What’s the s....

Author: Dunn, Rose T

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2001

HIM professionals have skills that can allow them to contribute to the bottom line in many ways. The author describes areas where HIM expertise can make a difference in evaluating an organization's fiscal performance through analysis of services driven by health information.
HI....

Author: Estrella, Renato

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2003

Efforts to boost the quality of care provided to Medicare patients aren’t new, but CMS’ latest plan will require additional efforts from hospitals. Learn more about the Hospital Payment Monitoring Program and how Quality Improvement Organizations are here to help.
Wondering wh....

Author: Martin, Ginny

Source: CodeWrite

Publication Date: February 2016

ICD-10 has now been in effect for several months and coding professionals have become more familiar with the new codes and guidelines. The initial training and education is complete and ongoing quality reviews are being done to analyze coding accuracy. But what else can this data tell us?....

Author: AHIMA Practice Council for Clinical Terminology and Classification; AHIMA Practice Council for Quality Initiatives and Secondary Data

Source: AHIMA practice brief

Publication Date: September 2009

This practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Huston, Janis L.; Brox, Georg A.

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Introduction to the Information for Health NHS Strategy Document

The National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom (UK) published its Information for Health agenda in 1998 to address such issues as information management, information technology (IT), security, and data quality. In t....

Author: Spencer, Carol

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: September 27, 2010

Measurement, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is to regulate by a standard, an estimate of what is expected, a basis or standard of comparison, a step planned or taken as a means to an end, to choose or control with cautious restraint. This is accomplished repeatedly and systematically....

Author: Haugen, Mary Beth

Source: ICD-TEN Top Emerging News | AHIMA newsletter article

Publication Date: September 2015

Technically speaking, anything could happen once we flip the ICD-10 switch on October 1, 2015. That's why it's important to monitor key performance metrics closely in the first 30 days post-implementation. The days and weeks immediately following go-live will provide critical insigh....

Author: Rode, Dan; Siegel, Barbara

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: September 14, 2004

September 14, 2004

Opening Comments

Chairman Hungate, members of the Workgroup on Quality, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I am Dan Rode, vice president of policy and government relations for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Joining me th....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2003

Consistency of coding is an issue that will only advance through a team effort. This article will discuss consistency of coding, its importance as an advocacy effort for the Association, and how you can make a difference.

Coding: Two Main Issues

There are essentially two t....

Author: Hall, Debra; Siegel, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2005

Tracking case outcomes helps improve care and create efficiency. But without universal reporting standards, the workload for hospitals is heavy and the data lacks uniformity.
There are only so many hours in a day. Take the case of New Jersey hospitals.

The Leapfrog Group rates....

Author: AHIMA Work Group

Source: Journal of AHIMA | AHIMA web extra

Publication Date: January 2014

Health information management (HIM) is a discipline that has rapidly evolved toward roles of increasing complexity and demand in recent years and the coding profession has been one area at the center of this growth. Even though the HIM profession is currently rethinking their coding and clinica....

Author: Kostick, Karen M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2002

Since 1997, AHIMA has offered a Certified Coding Specialist--Physician-based credential (CCS-P) for HIM professionals who are employed in the physician setting. In recent interviews, an office manager, coding manager, coding coordinator, and two physician-based consultants shared their coding....

Author:

Source: AHIMA web extra

Publication Date: March 02, 2008

Author: Slaughter, James; Willner, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 1996

Overview

Consensus is growing in the healthcare industry that organizations with fully integrated clinical information systems will become the leaders in a fiercely competitive environment. Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Region (KPNCR) believes that such a system can support the....

Author: Wiedemann, Lou Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2013

Clinical documentation requirements are expected to increase as healthcare systems are challenged with complex new audits, ever-changing compliance rules, and a transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS. All of these initiatives will specifically challenge clinical documentation improvement (CDI) profes....

Author: Johnson, Sandra K; Rozovsky, Fay A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2000

Medical errors are a problem of national concern. How can HIM professionals improve documentation and prevent errors? This article offers some risk management strategies.
Medical errors have been a hot topic since the release of last year's Institute of Medicine rep....

Author: Schoenfelt, Suzanne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2000

"Quality" is a multi-industry buzzword, but what does it really mean in today's healthcare climate? We asked the experts for their views on the state of quality improvement in healthcare and what lies in store for HIM professionals as QI evolves.
For decades, healthcare has concerned its....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA position statement

Publication Date: December 02, 2007

Approved – December 2007
The AHIMA Position

The collection of accurate and complete coded data is critical to healthcare delivery, research, public reporting, reimbursement, and policy-making. The integrity of coded data and the ability to turn it into functional information re....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA position statement

Publication Date: May 18, 2002

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
AHIMA’s Position
AHIMA believes the collection of accurate and complete coded data is critical to healthcare delivery, research and analysis, reimbursement, and policymaking.  The integrity of coded data and the ability to tur....

Author: Mills, Sharon

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2000

Hospital leaders who truly understand the challenge of achieving high-quality coding and are willing to commit resources to promote continuous quality improvement can be difficult to find. However, four years ago, visionary leaders in a not-for-profit healthcare system recognized that....

Author: Goshen, Naomi; Nachmani, Frances ; Sasson, Nadine ; Itzchak, Tzipi ; Sayfan, J; Kopelman, D; Kolton, L; Vigder, L; Almog, D; Tiosano, T

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Introduction

The need for accurate and complete records pertaining to operative procedures and diagnoses in surgery wards is almost self-evident. It is so because human life issues are at stake and erroneous and incomplete documentation may harm follow-up treatment as well as research da....

Author: Petersen, Darley

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Background  
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second most common cause of cancer death in Western Europe and North America.
Screening for CRC has not worldwide popularity in spite of proven survival benefit in average risk persons. Incidence and mortality, both are worrying in E....

Author: Prophet-Bowman, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

What makes a corporate compliance program effective? Without clear measures of effectiveness, the answer is murky. But a recent study shows that certain best practices may be keys to success.


The first study assessing the elements of an effective compliance program was highligh....

Author: Giannangelo, Kathy

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: September 2005

Coding professionals routinely review records and, when appropriate, query physicians to clarify a condition. Once the specifics are known, ICD-9-CM is used to determine the appropriate codes to record a patient’s diagnosis and report the healthcare claim. Coding professionals know that....

Author: Malone, Sue M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2008

From 2006 to 2007, the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care (CFMC), the quality improvement organization (QIO) for Colorado, led a project to reduce the outpatient billed as inpatient billing error rate in five area hospitals. This article discusses the findings from the project, as well as be....

Author: Mitchell, Sandra; Bartoli, Holly

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the data quality re-abstraction studies that have been conducted in Canada. These studies provide a baseline of reliability for clinical administrative data submitted to the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD). Canada began a s....

Author: AHIMA Coding Policy and Strategy Committee

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: September 1996

As the computer-based patient record slowly becomes a reality, the need has never been greater for a national cooperative effort to recognize and apply uniform terminology and coding guidelines for both the clinical community and fiscal intermediaries. AHIMA’s Coding Policy and Strategy Commit....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA presentation | AHIMA recognition week resources

Publication Date: September 01, 2005

Author: Nicholson, Ruby E.; Penney, David R.

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

The health information professional is consistently monitoring coding, documentation, and data quality to insure reimbursement and compliance with healthcare standards. As healthcare costs rise, consumer needs increase, and new consumer needs emerge, it is important for the healthcare industry....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2008

This practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Stanfill, Mary H; Hsieh, Kang Lin; Beal, Kathleen; Fenton, Susan H.

Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management

Publication Date: July 2014

Abstract


Coding productivity is expected to drop significantly during the lead-up to and in the initial stages of ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation, now expected to be delayed until October 1, 2015. This study examined the differences in coding productivity between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-....

Author: Russo, Ruthann

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2003

Tired of haranguing physicians about the importance of clinical documentation? Our expert’s strategies will improve documentation and make physicians happy, too.

Clinical documentation is the foundation for the codes that serve as links between patient care and payment, individu....

Author: Labak, Carol

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 1998

We've all seen it before: that look of bewilderment on a physician's face when a discussion about documentation arises. While this is not the first incidence of this discussion between the physician and the health information manager, neither is it the first time the HIM professional ....

Author: Wilson, Donna D

Source: CodeWrite | AHIMA newsletter article

Publication Date: July 2014

Do you ever wonder how your Medicare coding quality compares to other hospitals in your state, jurisdiction, or even the nation? The Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) is a free tool developed by the TMF Health Quality Institute, under contract with the Ce....

Author: Poole, Laurie

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2001

By collecting and analyzing information about Medicare payment errors, PEPP initiatives are making a contribution to healthcare quality efforts nationwide. Here's how one organization takes a collaborative approach to improving quality.
State Payment Error Prevention Programs (....

Author: AHIMA Coding Policy and Strategy Committee

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: 2001

The Payer's Guide to Healthcare Data Quality and Integrity was assembled to introduce you to the issues of data quality and to serve as a helpful resource. This guide is designed to help build a bridge between the payer community and the health information management professionals in....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA bibliography

Publication Date: 2001

The Quest for Quality and Comparability in the National Healthcare Database: Announcing A Payer’s Guide to Health Care Data Quality and Integrity
by AHIMA’s Coding Policy and Strategy Committee

Summary of ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee Meeting
by Sue Prop....

Author: Thompson, Nell S.; Koch, Doreen

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 1999

As compliance becomes an increasingly hot topic, how can a facility ensure its coding quality? Here are some ways that HIM departments can improve the quality of coding on a daily basis.



Coding practices are continually evolving, and this evolution has brough....

Author: Prophet, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2002

With the lowest error rate to date and less money being reimbursed for improper payments, the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) 2001 review of Medicare fee-for-service claims has become a model from which to build compliance programs. The review, which was the sixth such review conducte....

Author: Henry, Suzanne Bakken; Warren, Judith J.; Zielstorff, Rita D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 1998

by Suzanne Bakken Henry, RN, DNSc, FAAN, Judith J. Warren, RN, PhD, FAAN, and Rita D. Zielstorff, RN, MS, FAAN

The nursing profession has developed a number of classification systems. What can HIM professionals learn from the processes and results? This article presents an overview of the....

Author: Wilson, Donna D; Hampton-Bagshaw, Kim; Jorwic, Therese M; Bishop, Jean; Giustina, Elizabeth

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2008

Establishing a standard coding workflow that incorporates continuous improvement and creating performance benchmarks is key to improving the quality of coded data.



HIM professionals who assign codes or manage coded data take responsibility for translating clinical....

Author: Scichilone, Rita A

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2003

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued its last improper Medicare fee-for-service payment error rate report in January. Does this mean that all claims problems have been fixed? Have healthcare providers finally become 100 percent compliant?


Unfortunately, the answer is n....

Author: Jones, Lauren M.; Reid, Beth A.; Aisbett, Chris W.

Source: IFHRO Congress | AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Abstract
The problem addressed in this paper is the difficulty of assessing across nations the impact of different policies on health outcomes without a reliable way of comparing routine hospital morbidity data. This paper presents the findings of a study that evaluated the accessibility and....

Author: Huey, Kim

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2013

Though it may seem contrary to popular opinion, electronic health record (EHR) products will make providers' coders more necessary and valuable than ever. Physicians who trust only EHR and computer-assisted coding software to choose the codes they bill, without any training or oversight, a....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: April 30, 2003

April 30, 2003
Thomas A. Scully
Administrator
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
Attention: CMS-1472-P
P.O. Box 8010
Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850

RE: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System for Long-....

Author: Cottrell, Carlton

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2000

Coding quality for Medicare claims is an area of constant concern. Coding errors can have far-reaching effects in the healthcare universe, and coders are experiencing increased scrutiny from both regulators and hospitals looking to control costs. As a follow-up to results of a Medica....

Author: Zender, Anne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 1998

HIM professionals who work in long term care settings are well acquainted with the Minimum Data Set 2.0 (MDS). Since 1990, it has been part of the standardized assessments that nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs must complete. Starting this summer, updated submis....

Author: Staub, Mary; Orenstein, Anita; Gillett, Del Rae

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 15, 2004

Introduction

All healthcare facilities throughout the country struggle in today's competitive market place to keep cash flow at an appropriate and acceptable level. There are many facilities that struggle to make pay roll on a bi-weekly basis. Although Intermountain Healthcare (IHC) has....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2008

The content in this practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only. More recent information is available here.