Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2002

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2002

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author:

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Nearly 3,700 HIM professionals gathered in San Francisco in September to strengthen their professional skills and prepare for healthcare’s turbulent future. AHIMA's 74th National Convention and Exhibit featured an exceptional number and range of educational and general sessions, product de....

Author: Prophet-Bowman, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

This article includes highlights of the OIG’s 2003 Work Plan. The plan can be found in its entirety on the OIG Web site at http://oig.hhs.gov/ publications/workplan.html.
Many of the projects described in the 2003 Work Plan of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Hea....

Author: Wright, Amy

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

“If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, please call for a free consultation.” This refrain is familiar to Floridians and is quickly moving to other states where laws allow large punitive or damage awards for malpractice lawsuits.


Long-term c....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

AHIMA’s advocacy process continues as we move issues ahead into the new year. There are a variety of issues, appointments, budgets, and more hanging over the heads of our newly elected members of Congress, state legislatures, and federal and state administrators. Advocacy for HIM is also....

Author: Rollins, Gina

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

What will it take to get the much-needed national health information infrastructure (NHII) up and running? Plenty of support from HIM professionals is vital, plus renewed attention to standards and information technology. Learn how each of these factors contribute to making the NHII a reality.....

Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

When an organization assesses its quality of care, applying benchmarks can be difficult when the population of the organization is different from the benchmarking organizations. How can an organization use benchmarking data that reflects the reality of its population?


“Pr....

Author: Zender, Anne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

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: Faulkner, Scott D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Have you worried about your transcription program lately? If you’re a typical HIM director, the answer is likely “yes.” You may be wondering how to monitor the quality of your transcription services. You may be deciding which kind of new technology is right for your organization....

Author: Siegel, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Twenty years ago, I thought technology was going to save the world of HIM. When I graduated from Rockland Community College, ICD-9 was just being implemented. This was followed by DRGs, which created recognition for medical record professionals. But the technology supporting HIM functions was....

Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

When is it legal to disclose protected health information (PHI) to clergy?
Is faxing patient information legal under HIPAA?
Does HIPAA allow clinicians in our home health facility to pull their own records?
What is a "shadow record?"
Jill Burrington-Brown (jill.burrington-b....

Author: Hjort, Beth M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

How can you ensure your resume and interview attract the most attention for a coveted HIM position? Susan Parker, MEd, RHIA, helped students and recent graduates to discover some secrets to job-hunting success in “How to Have Them at ‘Hello.’” Parker, president of Seagate C....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

HIPAA presents special challenges to providers who perform research. According to the Institute of Medicine, approximately 80,000 biomedical research studies using about 23 million volunteers are conducted per year. Most have some federal funding either through National Institutes of Health or....

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Most of us do not think of communication as a process but rather as a talent or ability that only a few people possess. But when communication is considered a process, anyone can be an effective communicator.


The work of Stanford University computer science professor Terry Wino....

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Consensus is growing for a national health information infrastructure (NHII). As financial resources permit, all types of healthcare organizations are moving from paper to electronic health records (EHR). More than ever, the HIM profession must be visible and vocal advocates for this transform....

Author: Jeffries, Jane; Zender, Anne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

After a decade of stable spending, healthcare expenditures are on the rise, according to Gail Wilensky, PhD. If the industry doesn’t reexamine its course, we can expect healthcare spending to leap to 17 or 18 percent of the gross domestic product, an increase of up to 6 percent.

Author: Dixon-Lee, Claire

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Bioterrorism has become a real threat in the US and around the world. Is our public health system robust enough to handle the surveillance and reporting activities needed to protect citizens? Today, the answer is no. But efforts already in progress at local and national levels may be able to....

Author: Jeffries, Jane

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Convention attendees received a powerful call to action in one of the Convention’s general sessions, “E-HIM: The Imperative, The Opportunity.” AHIMA Executive Vice President and CEO Linda Kloss, RHIA, CAE, explained the forces behind the healthcare industry’s migration to a....

Author: Marchibroda, Janet; Gerber, Ticia

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

What forces have propelled the need for a national health information infrastructure (NHII) into the spotlight? In the article, take a closer look at the origins of the NHII, the benefits it will yield, and the initiatives providing the strongest support.
The healthcare system in the US h....

Author: Brouch, Kathy L.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2003

For more information on physician queries, see the "Developing a Physician Query Process" practice brief in the October 2001 Journal of AHIMA and in the FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge in the Communities of Practice at www.ahima.org.
Is obtaining an answer to a coding question a daunting t....

Author: Jeffries, Jane

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

“When I hear statistics on mortality or morbidity, I automatically think of the methods used
to collect and tabulate the data and the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. I’m glad to be a part of that process.” —Joyce Frazier, RHIA,
medical systems specialist,....

Author: Dunn, Rose T

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Author: Ruano, Michael

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2003

Is your organization up to the challenge of creating a unified information security program?


A unified information security program has been all but mandated for healthcare organizations by the federal government. HIPAA requires that electronic, paper, and oral patient identif....

Author: O'Hara, Karen

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2003

The 2003 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) includes approximately 428 code changes, so as always, it is important to stay current. To assist you in using the new edition, the following provides a brief summary of the changes for 2003. The complete list of changes can be found in Appendix B....

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Considering a career in privacy? AHIMA’s Career Progression Ladder for Privacy Officers reveals the education, skills, and support you need to succeed.

The HIPAA privacy rule requires that covered entities designate a privacy official responsible for the development and implemen....

Author: Le, Huan N.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Medicare regulations, HIPAA compliance, and the threat of litigation have made it impossible to draft a one-page healthcare contract. Standard language alone now extends to up to four pages. It’s a good idea to hire an attorney for contract negotiations and drafting, but even then, you mi....

Author: Nutten, Sandra

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

One of the privacy rule’s biggest tasks is work force training. In this article, we offer helpful tips for getting started and staying on track.

Training your work force on the HIPAA privacy rule isn’t only federal law—it’s the foundation on which the entire orga....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Background: It is customary for family members, legal guardians, and friends of patients at [name of hospital] to telephone the hospital, inquire in person about the condition of a patient, or to request other health information. Privacy regulations require that a patient’s identity or oth....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Whether your privacy rule compliance efforts began two years ago or yesterday, you’re probably concerned about the April 14, 2003, implementation date. In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways you can make the most of the time remaining.

Don’t Skip the Assessm....

Author: Jeffries, Jane

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Author: Beahan, Sally

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

From Many to One

To attract qualified medical transcriptionists (MTs), we offer an incentive program, allow employees to telecommute if they live within a 100-mile radius of the medical center, provide equipment, including a computer, chair, phone lines, and reference materials, and offe....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

The clock is ticking on HIPAA, the healthcare system is facing critical work force shortages, Medicare is in financial straits—the signs are ominous. But in 2003, AHIMA’s advocacy efforts will remain constant and straightforward.


This past year, AHIMA dedicated itsel....

Author: Dougherty, Michelle

Source: AHIMA Q and A | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Q: I recently heard a group of HIM professionals discussing record completion policies. One professional was discussing her organization’s newly adopted policy of defining a delinquent medical record as a record that was missing any one of five items: discharge summary, final diagnoses wi....

Author: Squazzo, Jessica

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

When many HIM professionals might have shuddered at the thought of taking on HIPAA implementation, LaVonne Wieland, RHIT, decided to stare it right in the face. For Wieland, the information privacy director for HealthEast Care System in St. Paul, MN, the privacy director position seemed like a....

Author: Bowen, Rita K.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Creating a process to handle patients’ requests for restrictions on the use or disclosure of their health information may be one of the last items on your HIPAA checklist. Here’s how to take care of it.

One of the benefits extended to patients under the HIPAA privacy rule i....

Author: Siegel, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Remember eating alphabet soup when you were young? What fun it was finding words or even making up new ones. We did not know then that a part of our future was spelled out before us.


Since 1928, our HIM credentials have demonstrated professionalism and expertise. Remember when....

Author: Birnbaum, Cassi L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Does your organization have a policy in place for protecting patient health information (PHI) over the phone?


This article will discuss how a workgroup at Children’s Hospital and Health Center (CHHC) in San Diego, CA, implemented a policy to protect verbal PHI and how your....

Author: Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

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

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Ten years ago, AHIMA drafted model federal legislation to protect confidential medical record information. We aimed to raise Congress’ awareness that protection for this most personal information was sorely lacking and that the absence of uniform legal protection was a barrier to the use....

Author: Becker, Joanne

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2003

Sometimes starting small can mean big results. A few months ago, I joined Iowa’s regional HIPAA Strategic National Implementation Process (SNIP) workgroup. The goal of local and regional SNIP workgroups is to create as much collaboration as possible to ensure compliance by all covered ent....

Author: Casey, Patricia E.; Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2003

Are you up to date with the latest revisions to the heart failure codes? A revision of the heart failure codes, effective October 1, 2002, was originally presented at the May 2001 ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee meeting. At that meeting, representatives from Kaiser Permanente e....

Author: Payne, Thomas H.; Hirschmann, Jan V.; Helbig, Susan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2003

Has your organization taken note of its electronic note style? Each year, more healthcare organizations adopt electronic health record (EHR) systems and, at the same time, implement a system of electronic note writing.


In many EHR systems, notes can be dictated, entered using....

Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Hicks, Jewelle E

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Plans for the Future


Adkison’s day-to-day responsibilities require a wide range of strengths and skill sets. By staying current on her computer skills and performance-improvement techniques, as well as honing her organizational and communication expertise, Adkison has been able....

Author: Weber, Joe

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

What does the future hold for the transcription industry? In the third installment of the Journal’s series on transcription, take a look at the new technology aimed at boosting productivity, improving accuracy, and, in some cases, asking physicians for direct information input.
The y....

Author: Prophet-Bowman, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Observation services have been a top fraud and abuse target of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services, primarily due to the complexity of the Medicare billing regulations and the potential for abuse. New regulations regarding reimbursement for thes....

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

The American healthcare system is in crisis and consumers are taking notice. Insurance costs are rising at double-digit rates and employers are passing along more of the cost to employees, leading to a recent nationwide strike at GE earlier this year. One in seven Americans is uninsured and fe....

Author: Prophet-Bowman, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2003

The ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee, cosponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), met in December 2002, in Baltimore, MD. Donna Pickett, RHIA, from NCHS, and Patricia Brooks, RHIA, from CMS, cochaire....

Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

What is it like to work in a fully automated healthcare system? As a visitor, I was doubly curious, because the topic of my management practicum in 1977 was preparing the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System MPI for computerization. This was a sophisticated practicum at the time bec....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Many of last year’s most important healthcare issues have carried over into 2003. This article will focus on this year’s chief legislative and federal administrative issues, including infrastructure, privacy and security, and work force and education.

Building an Informati....

Author: Harford, Joseph P.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

None of these methods of disposal address healthcare organizations’ environmental or legal responsibilities. But how do you know if your organization is legally positioned to handle disposal of computer equipment? This article will address these concerns.

What Is Legal?
<....

Author: Graham, Gail; Nugent, Linda; Strouse, Kathleen

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

How does the nation's largest integrated healthcare system manage health information? Here, learn how HIM professionals helped the Veterans Health Administration take advantage of EHR technology to improve care.
Think of a healthcare system with 163 medical centers, more than 850 ambulato....

Author: Hagland, Mark

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Is your clinic or medical group thinking about implementing an EHR? Plan for plenty of changes—in staffing, processes, and the delivery of care. Here, learn how a variety of clinics weathered the conversion.

When the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, planned to open a new hospital....

Author: Cannon, Jeanne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

HIPAA compliance might be one of the biggest challenges of the decade for covered entities—and not only because of all the new requirements. Simply reading and interpreting the regulations has proven to be a monumental task. So how can a HIPAA team leader make staff enthusiastic about lea....

Author: Hjort, Beth M.

Source: AHIMA Q and A | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Q: When is it appropriate to separate files for select types of medical records? What practice guidelines are available?


A: Circumstances, reasons, and applicable laws affect decisions to create separate medical record files within varying types of healthcare organizations. Org....

Author: Rollins, Gina

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Kaiser Permanente, the largest nonprofit health maintenance organization (HMO) in the US, is on the forefront of developing and implementing an electronic health record (EHR). The effort involves both the Kaiser health plan and the Permanente Federation, which is the partnership among the Perm....

Author: Siegel, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Earlier generations—our grandparents and parents—tell stories of how technology changed their lives. Born at the turn of the 20th century, my grandparents witnessed the successes of Alexander Graham Bell and the Wright brothers. My parents were mesmerized by talking movies and televi....

Author: Squazzo, Jessica

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Author: Mitchell, Sue

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

When the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued its highlights of 2002, the listing of significant accomplishments included the department’s efforts to improve quality of care. Discussion of quality improvement efforts focused on the department’s initiatives in measurin....

Author: Amatayakul, Margret

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

Many providers are putting the finishing touches on their HIPAA privacy compliance activities—but may have overlooked their self-insured health plan or assumed that their third-party administrator (TPA) was taking care of HIPAA compliance. Now is the time to take a closer look at your sel....

Author: Hjort, Beth M.; Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2003

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

Author: Rhodes, Harry B.; Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

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

Author: Siegel, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

One of the monumental expeditions in history is that of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who left the shores of the Missouri River in 1804. To this day, the body of knowledge gained during this journey captures our imaginations. The lessons learned guide us as we explore new horizons and ne....

Author: Sobel, David A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

As an HIM professional, you may be asked to serve as your organization’s first privacy officer. While serving as privacy officer will give you the opportunity to play a new and more profound role in safeguarding patients’ privacy rights, it will also provide you with new challenges.....

Author: Lee, Michael R.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

In the event of a privacy-related legal challenge, the content of your organization’s notice of privacy practices (NPP) will be a focal point for both plaintiff and defense arguments with respect to the protected health information (PHI) disclosure activities of your organization. Is your....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

This month marks a milestone for HIM professionals with the actual, as opposed to regulatory, beginning of the HIPAA privacy rule. In addition, the recently published final security rule will keep HIM and privacy professionals busy. This article will discuss HIPAA deadlines, old and new, and o....

Author: Jeffries, Jane

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

Wouldn’t it be helpful to know how your peers at healthcare organizations throughout your state are handling HIPAA? Even better, wouldn’t it be helpful for the healthcare consumers in your state to encounter consistent behavior at each facility they visit?

Thanks to the Ten....

Author: Carol, Ruth

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

Author: Rhodes, Harry B.; Hughes, Gwen

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

This practice brief has been updated. See the latest version here. This version is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Pinder, Ray

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

We have all heard stories about attorneys winning large settlements for their clients due to lack of or insufficient documentation in the medical record. Many HIM professionals have taken steps to teach the basics to physicians, nurses, and other health professionals that have documentation re....

Author: Zender, Anne

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

“I could have retired by now, but I don't regret having any of these experiences.” —Richard Jeske, RHIT, HIM supervisor,
Alaska Native Medical Center, Anchorage, AK
HIM supervisor Richard Jeske, RHIT, hasn’t spent his entire career working in health information ma....

Author: Helbig, Susan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2003

Life in today’s healthcare organizations is challenging for everyone involved—patients, providers, third-party payers, vendors, and HIM professionals. As HIM professionals, we are constantly in a state of transition in some area of our practice, which can be both challenging and rewa....