Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2011

The second session of the 111th Congress began with the Democrats in firm control of the House and Senate. Working from their position of power enabled the Democrats to pass healthcare reform.

Although Congress was mired in contentious debates, AHIMA still advocated for its public po....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2012

AHIMA has long advocated for ICD-10, and these advocacy efforts have overcome some stout barriers to ensure the implementation of the modern, more detailed classification system. Even with this recent success and the reassurance that comes with the final ICD-10 implementation date set for....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2009

AHIMA has worked with Congress for several years on passing health IT legislation that would help reduce medical errors, improve healthcare quality, increase administrative efficiencies, and provide a secure and private environment for the electronic exchange of health information. With th....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2010

In order to understand what Congress accomplished in 2009, one needs to examine the 2008 election results. The results favored the Democrats as they gained the presidency, a super majority (60 votes) in the Senate, and an increase in their majority in the House. This advantage gave the Democra....

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: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2000

E-health experts nationally are hard at work developing guidelines for this rapidly growing industry. Recently, three sets of guidelines were issued—by an advisory committee to the Federal Trade Commission, by the Internet Healthcare Coalition (IHC), and by a group of information....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2015

The wait for the second round of mandated privacy and security audits from the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) continues. OCR is currently working through final details for the revised audit plan as they await finalization of new technolog....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2000

The privacy of personal information on the Internet is a hot topic nationwide. Is an e-health code of ethics in order? AHIMA and several other organizations are offering guidance this spring to the industry's first attempt at one.

Together with the American Medical Informa....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2008

The lyrics from the U2 song “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” aptly describe Congress’s struggles in attempting to pass health IT and genetic nondiscrimination legislation this past year:

You’ve got yourself stuck in a moment,
and you can&r....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2001

The 106th Congress dragged more than two months beyond its targeted adjournment date, wrangling about fiscal year 2001 budget matters.

Congress finally adjourned on December 15, after passing a massive $384 billion omnibus spending package (HR 4577) that included a five-year....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2004

The French playwright Molière once said, “Long is the road from conception to completion.” This could also describe the first session of the 108th Congress. In 2003, Congress, and those of us who worked with it, took a long and tumultuous ride filled with notable success....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2007

Last year saw a number of HIM issues take center stage in Washington, and we expect the whirlwind of activity to continue this year. However, 2007 will see changing elements that will define how we proceed in the 110th Congress and beyond. The 2006 elections will have lasting effects on t....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2000

On January 18, 2000, AHIMA submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the proposed rule for 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 160 through 164: "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information." The proposed rule....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2009

Over the past several months, Washington, DC, has seen a lot of changes—a new president, a new White House staff, key federal appointees, and more than 50 freshman members of the House and Senate.


However, even among this change, AHIMA expects some of its key advocacy i....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2000

German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht once said, "Today, every invention is received with a cry of triumph which soon turns into a cry of fear." Brecht died in 1956, but his statement remains relevant. The emergence of the so-called information age can be attributed to th....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2008

After 13 years of advocacy, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (HR 493), or GINA, finally passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan effort.

AHIMA and the sponsors of the legislation have travelled a long and winding road to pass this important act that prohibit....

Author: Asmonga, Donald D.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2002

Despite an eventful year, the AHIMA Policy and Government Relations team dedicated itself to advocating for AHIMA members and monitoring those issues that may impact the HIM profession. This article will provide you with a snapshot of AHIMA’s activities in 2001, Congressional activity and....

Author: Austin, Peg; Stanfill, Mary H

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2001

Data quality has never been more scrutinized than it is today. Health Care Financing Administration rules and contractual obligations from various insurance companies complicate the notion of correct coding. At the same time, numerous trade associations publish coding guidelines that....

Author: Austin, Steven

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2001

HIM professionals know they need to prepare for HIPAA, but where should they begin? Take a lesson from your peers at two of the nation's leading healthcare facilities.


HIM professionals know that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) i....

Author: Averill, Richard F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: August 09, 2016

The August issue of the Journal of AHIMA features an article by Sue Bowman that chronicles the dire predictions of negative consequences that would ensue if the antiquated 30-year-old ICD-9-CM coding system was replaced with the modern and up-to-date ICD-10 coding system. This r....

Author: Averill, Richard F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2002

Are you fluent in DRG? This article takes a look at the evolution of the three distinct DRG systems and spotlights the most recent iteration, All-Patient Refined DRGs. It also sheds light on how this system, when codes are properly applied, can help an organization study morbidity and mortalit....

Author: Averill, Richard F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 1999

The implementation of a comprehensive compliance program requires the participation of many hospital departments, including medical records, billing, admitting, finance, and legal.1 The component of a compliance program that most directly affects the HIM professional is coding compliance. For....

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Bowman, Sue E

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2012

Abstract: On April 17, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a rule proposing postponement of the implementation date for the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition diagnosis codes (ICD-10-CM) and procedure codes (ICD-10-PCS) by one year to October 1, 2014. An article in Health Affairs titled "There Are Important Reasons For Delaying the Implementation Of The New ICD-10 Coding System" asserts that the ICD-10-CM conversion will be "expensive, arduous, disruptive, and of limited direct clinical benefit." Contrary to the conclusions in this article, implementation of the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS code sets will provide major advantages over the existing ICD-9-CM code set. Implementation is long overdue and will provide significant cost benefits. Any further implementation delay will increase the cost of the transition as well as perpetuate the costs and negative consequences associated with continued reliance on imprecise diagnosis and procedure information.

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Butler, Rhonda R.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: June 2013

There has been an array of misperceptions, misinformation, and misrepresentations concerning ICD-10-CM/PCS—making it hard to discern the true facts. Due to the increased concerns, bills have been introduced in Congress to postpone or entirely abandon the conversion to ICD-10. In....

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Grant, Thelma M.; Bonazelli, Janice A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 2001

The January 1, 2001, update to the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) contained significant changes. These changes fall into three categories:  modifications to the definition of the APCs
policy changes that affect the claims adjudication process or payment....

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Grant, Thelma M.; Steinbeck, Barbara A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2000

The Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) went into effect on August 1, 2000. However, as a result of continuing comments from hospitals and the initial experience with the operation of the system, HCFA has made some substantial changes to OPPS. These changes fall into three categories:....

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Grant, Thelma M.; Steinbeck, Barbara A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2000

Are you ready for the outpatient prospective payment system? This special report tells you what you need to know. First, take a look at aspects of the new system that most directly affect HIM professionals. then, an expert offers advice on how to make aproactive transition to the new system.....

Author: Averill, Richard F.; Mullin, Robert L.; Steinbeck, Barbara A.; Goldfield, Norbert I; Grant, Thelma M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 1998

The ICD-10 Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) has been developed as a replacement for Volume 3 of ICD-9-CM. This article will describe the development and structure of ICD-10-PCS‹as well as describe the modifications that have been made to the system as a result of extensive review and test....

Author: Bacik, Sandy

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2010

There is plenty of privacy and security training to be done, and many trainers struggle to get resources from their organizations and attention from their audiences. Sandy Bacik, CISSP, ISSMP, CISM, CGEIT, is a principal consultant at EnerNex and a former chief security officer. Here she o....

Author: Bacik, Sandy

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2010

ARRA's modifications to the HIPAA privacy and security rules are setting off a new round of training in facilities large and small. Trainers must fit the new training into existing schedules that already include organizational policies and procedures, HIPAA, and other regulations such as the R....

Author: Backman, Cecilia; Dolack, Susan; Dunyak, Denise; Lutz, Laurie J.; Tegen, Anne; Warner, Diana

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2011

Social media has become an undeniable force, and its rapid, informal communication style represents both possibility and liability for healthcare organizations. Good policies and training help organizations pursue the benefits and mitigate the risks.

Social media refers br....

Author: Backman, Cecilia; Kadlec, Lesley; Kirby, Annessa; Leonard, Mary Ann; Ward, Maria; Westhafer, Kathy J

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2015

Health Information Management's (HIM) role in care coordination involves much more than ensuring records are collected and disseminated for reporting purposes. HIM ensures that patient needs are met through availability of patient information along the continuum of care.


H....

Author: Backman, Cecilia; Meyer, Melanie; Westhafer, Kathy J; Wise, Lee A

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2017

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and value-based programs have created opportunities for population health initiatives in relation to health information exchange (HIE) and greater data sharing across the care continuum. HIE allows providers and patients to securely access and share a patient&....

Author: Bailey-Woods, Linda; Dooling, Julie A; Fabian, Diane; Kuehnast, Tanya; Luthi-Terry, Stephanie; Raymond, Jackie; Rhodes, Harry B.; Westhafer, Kathy J

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2014

Simply stated the goal of health information exchange (HIE) is very clear-cut and easy to understand—establish networks that connect healthcare providers electronically in order to facilitate higher quality healthcare.


However, actual implementation of HIE business mod....

Author: Bailey-Woods, Linda; Munns, Megan; Orlova, Anna; Rhodes, Harry B.; Warner, Diana

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2015

Interoperability of health information systems will enable clinicians to communicate with their patients and each other using information and communication technology to enable safer, effective, and efficient care, and improve population health. Health information technology (HIT) standard....

Author: Baker, Dixie B.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2000

Can the Internet support a system that gives both providers and patients safe access to clinical data? That's the goal of the PCASSO project. Here's how this real-life trial of an Internet patient information system works.
In recent years, the rapid development of Internet technology has....

Author: Baker, Dixie B.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2003

If you've ever played phone tag with your doctor, you can appreciate the benefits of e-mail. But for all its advantages, provider-patient e-mail is not without challenges. Here's how to protect your organization.
The majority of Americans now consider e-mail and instant messaging preferred....

Author: Baldwin, Kevin; Burton, Benjamin W; Cothran, Carey L.; DeMasters, Dana; Grady, Reginald; Halpert, Aviva M.; Hofman, Judi; Kadlec, Lesley; O'Dell, Rosann M; Pearson, Sandra; Deanna, Peterson; Rode, Dan; Rose, Angela Dinh; Schmidt, Peg

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2015

The advancement of technology has changed the practice of medicine. It has evolved the physician-patient relationship from solely a face-to-face interaction into real-time online encounters, from e-mails to virtual appointments. Patient portals represent such a technological advancement, leadi....

Author: Baldwin-Stried, Kimberly A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: October 21, 2010

She also presents a scenario that led to discovery and recommends that organizations prepare for the changing world of discovery by developing similar use cases. Scenarios such as this, she writes, help organizations identify the types of data and systems that may require legal holds in re....

Author: Baldwin-Stried, Kimberly A.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2006

New federal rules on evidence gathering take effect December 1. Here’s a summary and a look at how HIM professionals can prepare.

Barring congressional action, on December 1, 2006, a series of amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) governing e-discovery wil....

Author: Ballam, Holly

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 1999

A recent notice of proposed rule making for an electronic signature standard, if adopted, will affect the way health information is managed for years to come. Here's what you need to know about electronic signature and what the proposed standard may mean for HIM.
The Health....

Author: Ballam, Holly

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 1999

Information Security Program
XYZ Hospital
Effective Date      
         ..............................................................................................................................

1. Poli....

Author: Ball, Marion J.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: February 1999

As healthcare changes, HIM professionals must act as individuals to keep pace with the transformation. Educational changes in HIM curricula are evolving, but HIM professionals must take responsibility for their education to take advantage of opportunities presented by new information....

Author: Barbell, Alan S.; Sublett, Patsy

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2001

The publication of To Err is Human broke the silence in the healthcare industry and has made it possible to have discourse on both the scope and possible solutions to the problem of medical errors-medication errors in particular.1 Data on the numbers of deaths and injuries attributable to medi....

Author: Barbera, Linda

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2006

The hospice setting is no stranger to the challenges of transitioning from paper to electronic documentation. Ensuring that hybrid medical records provide complete and accurate documentation is a significant issue, particularly for reimbursement processes. In order for the documentation to prov....

Author: Barmettler, Jonathan; Bauer, Jeffrey C.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2004

The electronic health record is accessible, portable, and invisible. So how do you protect the EHR in the real world?
The digital revolution is finally gaining momentum in health information management. Over the past few years, three well-publicized reports by the Institute of Medicine....

Author: Barnette, Erin; Endicott, Melanie; Ericson, Cheryl E; Wieczorek, Michelle M.

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2017

In order to effectively discuss clinical documentation improvement (CDI) opportunities in physician practices, it is important to first understand the drivers and goals of a physician practice CDI program. Historically, diagnosis codes have had little impact in regard to physician practice paym....

Author: Barnhouse, Torrey

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: February 2015

HIM departments have already spent considerable time and resources providing ICD-10-CM/PCS training for coders. Between now and October 1, 2015, they’ll spend even more.


In addition to training current staff members, HIM directors and coding managers will likely hire new code....

Author: Barnhouse, Torrey; Rudman, William J.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2013

Those who think their hospital is way behind in preparing for ICD-10-CM/PCS (ICD-10) should take note of the following. Several industry surveys reveal the same thing: most of the nation’s 4,000-plus hospitals have only just begun implementation efforts.


That concernin....

Author: Barranger, Kellie

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2017

Effective healthcare transitions, new payment models, and quality outcomes are fast becoming a major focus for long-term care (LTC) providers as part of the new shift to value-based healthcare reform. The requirements are changing the concept of “value” from the best price for....

Author: Barrett, Charlotte S; Beidler, Aurae; Davis, Nancy; Glondys, Barbara

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2016

Developing policies and standard procedures when working with patient aliases is one way to both respect patient privacy but also ensure the accuracy and integrity of patient data.


As defined in AHIMA’s Pocket Glossary, an “alias” is “a name added to,....

Author: Barrett, John P.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2000

Managing your career means more than just changing jobs. It's a process that you can plan and control. Find out the steps to shaping your professional future in this article.

Considering all the ways the workplace has changed in recent years, there's....

Author: Barron, Chrystel

Source: AHIMA blog post | Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: July 12, 2017

It is important to know the difference between anticoagulant drugs and antiplatelet drugs when assigning a Z-code for long term drug use. Both of these types of drugs are closely related in the way they manipulate the various channels of the blood clotting mechanism, which can make this a....

Author: Barron, Dan

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2003

Can you imagine having to go to the fax machine every time you needed to send someone a message or document? Can you imagine if you had to write a letter and go through the process of “snail mailing” every time you wanted to reach out to someone professionally? True, the US Postal Se....

Author: Barrows, Randolph C. Jr.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2009

Members of the NHIN Cooperative demonstrated significant interoperability advances in support of healthcare quality measurement, feedback, and reporting at the 5th Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) Forum last December. The public forum included demonstrations of technology developed....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2015

The implications of ICD-10-CM/PCS for healthcare reimbursement is a topic at the top of everyone’s mind in the healthcare industry these days. As healthcare organizations continue to prepare for the transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS on October 1, 2015, an essential and important element of a su....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA | Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2016

The implementation of ICD-10-PCS has enhanced the skills of coding professionals as it contains many unique features that provide an opportunity to accurately reflect the complexity of the procedures being performed. The assignment of ICD-9-CM procedure codes for spinal fusions often chal....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2014

This article highlights the 2014 ICD-10-CM/PCS updates as approved by the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee, which includes representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the National Center for Health Statistics. As a result of the partial code set....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2014

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of three articles discussing the Medical and Surgical-related sections of ICD-10-PCS.


In this article, the Journal of AHIMA continues its three part Coding Notes series focusing on the nine Medical and Surgical-related secti....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2013

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of 10 articles discussing the 31 root operations of ICD-10-PCS.



One of the keys to understanding ICD-10-PCS is the many new definitions and descriptions used to describe the various components of performed procedures.....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2014

Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series of 10 articles discussing the 31 root operations of ICD-10-PCS.


In this article the Journal of AHIMA continues its 10-part Coding Notes series focusing on the 31 root operations in the Medical and Surgical section of ICD-10-PCS.....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2010

Root Operations that Take Out Solids, Fluids, Gases from a Body Part, Involve Cutting or Separation Only, and Put In OR put Back or Move Some OR All of a Body Part

The medical and surgical procedure section of ICD-10-PCS contains most, but not all, procedures typically coded and repor....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2010

One of the keys to a successful transition to ICD-10-CM is a thorough understanding of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. Earlier this year, the National Center for Health Statistics published the 2010 guidelines. This article highlights some of the additions and revis....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2009

One of the keys to a successful transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS is a thorough understanding of the ICD-10-CM Official Coding Guidelines, which were posted to the National Center for Health Statistics Web site in January 2009. Similar to the ICD-9-CM coding guidelines, the ICD-10-CM guidelines are....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2009

One of ICD-10-PCS’s goals is to ensure a complete picture of a patient’s procedure. Completeness means that there is a unique code for all substantially different procedures, including the same procedure performed using a different approach.

All ICD-10-PCS codes are seven....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA | Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2014

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of three articles discussing the Medical and Surgical-related sections of ICD-10-PCS.

IN THIS ARTICLE, the Journal of AHIMA continues its three-part Coding Notes series focusing on the nine Medical and Surgical-related sections of ICD-10-PC....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2014

Editor’s note: This is the first article in a three article series discussing the Medical and Surgical-related sections of ICD-10-PCS.



THERE ARE NINE Medical and Surgical-related sections of ICD-10-PCS. This article, the first in a series of three articles disc....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2011

Many coding professionals will need to learn new terminology and brush up on their anatomy and physiology (A&P) knowledge to prepare for the ICD-10-CM/PCS transition. Although it is still too early for intense training on the new code sets, now is the time for coding professionals to gain....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2010

ICD-10-CM/PCS will capture a greater level of specificity for obstetric coding. This article highlights some of the new features in coding obstetric cases with ICD-10-CM/PCS.
OB Diagnoses Coding with ICD-10-CM

Obstetric cases require diagnosis codes from chapter 15 of ICD-10-CM,....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2013

When comparing the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM obstetric guidelines, coding professionals should note both revised and completely new guidelines in ICD-10-CM. These guidelines are a result of various new concepts introduced in Chapter 15 of ICD-10-CM, such as the addition of a seventh character....

Author: Barta, Ann; McNeill, Gale C.; Meli, Peggy L.; Wall, Kathleen E.; Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2008

Although the US is still waiting on legislative or regulatory action establishing an ICD-10-CM implemention date, HIM professionals should start familiarizing themselves with the classification system to prepare for its future use.



What Is ICD-10-CM?

Author: Bass, Deb

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2011

Every health information exchange must determine how it will gain consent from patients to share their information. The Nebraska Health Information Initiative chose opt out and with good communication and management has maintained a high rate of patient participation.

Even afte....

Author: Batres, Janie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2012

With emerging technologies like electronic health record systems (EHRs) and computer-assisted coding (CAC) gaining traction in the healthcare industry, coding professionals are being presented with more challenges and opportunities than ever before. The shift from paper-based records to electr....

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: Bechert, Londa

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2002

St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services in Indianapolis, IN, is a member of the Ascension Health network, a nationwide Catholic health ministry. The HIM department has centralized responsibility for the main campus (650 beds) in Indianapolis, the St. Vincent Carmel Hospital (65 beds), and mul....