Author: Burrington-Brown, Jill

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2003

Has your organization addressed sanctions related to privacy and security issues? Both the final privacy rule and final security rule address this issue. The privacy rule states that the covered entity must “have and apply appropriate sanctions against members of its workforce who fail to....

Author: Reich, Kimberly A. Baldwin-Stried

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2010

While healthcare facilities are familiar with the process of discovery-often in the form of subpoenas-many are just seeing their first e-discovery requests. Do e-discovery requests differ from subpoenas, and do they require different responses?

The answer is not a simple yes or no. I....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2011

Important differences exist in advance directives. Only some grant access to another person's medical records, and that can change with time.

After 50 years of marriage, Rosa Taylor-Payne noticed even the slightest change in her husband, Marvell Payne. So she started to worry when he....

Author: Hedges, Ron

Source: AHIMA blog post | Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: November 18, 2015

With new technology comes new opportunities… as well as the potential for litigation. Take 3D implanted devices for example. Implanted devices are commonplace in healthcare. These devices can accomplish a range of tasks, such as deliver timed dosages of drugs, monitor....

Author: Eramo, Lisa A

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: June 2015

Ask any coder about the ICD-10 transition, and he or she will likely tell you that it hasn’t been easy. Coders working in physician practices have had a tough time. Many of these coders have more responsibilities than their inpatient coder counterparts. Physician practice coders may even b....

Author: Haugen, Mary Beth

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: June 2014

Challenging the status quo can seem risky. But for Kootenai Health and Medical Center, it was the right approach to solving the ICD-10-PCS for outpatient conundrum—to code or not to code these services.


Based in Coeur d’Alene, ID, Kootenai Health includes a 254-be....

Author: Butler, Mary

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2016

As the sun begins to set on the Obama administration, Vice President Joe Biden has been leveraging the weight of his office to speak out on the health IT interoperability quagmire in which the nation currently finds itself. During a speech at the industry’s Health Datapalooza in May,....

Author: Scichilone, Rita A

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2001

Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes, introduced in 1992 for reporting physician visit services, are linked to a number of perplexing questions for coders. In different settings, they are used differently and with varying sets of criteria. Given the numerous coding and compliance issues relate....

Author: Monga, Kapila

Source: AHIMA blog post | Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: August 17, 2016

“It’s a beautiful day to save lives. Let’s have some fun,” so says Dr. Derek Shepherd (of “Grey’s Anatomy” fame) and with a smile on his face, gets on with his day’s activities—to help patients heal. I haven’t seen many doctors work, except in “Grey’s Anatomy,” but I have interacted w....

Author: Laakso, Roslyn C.; Gottschalk, Reesa; Uppena, Mary

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2002

After an acute illness or injury, patients are often transferred from the hospital to a skilled care bed or nursing facility for continued care. In rural areas, the local hospital and skilled nursing facility are often located within the same building and may even be the very same bed (many r....

Author: Viola, Allison F.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2008

As adoption and implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) and personal health records (PHRs) continues to grow, so does the need for a skilled work force to facilitate the transition, implementation, and management of these health information systems. There has never been a more criti....

Author: Mahoney, Mary Ellen

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2003

How can a software development company make sure its HIM products meet the needs of its users? By using HIM professionals to design, test, market, implement, and support those products. At Cerner Corporation, experienced HIM professionals play a role in every step of the software development p....

Author: Watzlaf, Valerie J.M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2019

By Valerie Watzlaf, PhD, MPH, RHIA, FAHIMA


Soft skills—empathy, communication, critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving, interpersonal awareness, and more—are of vital importance in the HIM workforce. This consensus is one I have encountered over and over again, from....

Author: LeBlanc, Madonna M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: June 2003

You landed the job. Your first day is a week away and you’ve left yourself enough time to recharge your batteries before jumping into a new adventure. To best position yourself for success as a new manager, think back to the human resources and personnel management courses you’ve tak....

Author: D'Amato, Cheryl; Hoag, Patience J.; Crocker, Elsa; Neville, Deborah; Carpenter-Barbee, Cheryl; Bartell, Laurie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2002

Remember the glorious Knights of the Round Table who made Camelot famous? King Arthur created a meeting place with special significance, a roundtable at which every seat had equal worth. AHIMA has embraced the spirit of this concept in a program known as coding roundtables, which are designed....

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: Kudla, Karen M.; Blakemore, Margo

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2001

Healthcare terminologies SNOMED and the Read Codes have been around for a long time. Now, a new terminology combining the two promises to take the industry one step closer to realizing the vision of an electronic patient record. Here’s a sneak peek at SNOMED® CT.
As technology e....

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: June 12, 2014

As the US healthcare industry faces yet another delay in ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation, with a new compliance date of October 1, 2015, questions continue to arise as to whether there are any alternatives for replacement of ICD-9-CM other than implementation of ICD-10-CM/....

Author: Kostick, Karen M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2012

The use of many distinct standardized clinical vocabulary terminologies and classifications is integral to the development of a nationwide health IT infrastructure that allows for electronic use and exchange of health information. SNOMED CT is one of the key clinical terminologies designated f....

Author: Giannangelo, Kathy; Berkowitz, Lyle

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2005

With the advent of electronic health record (EHR) systems, IT solutions are needed to ease the recording of standard codes for clinical encounters. The basis for these products is a standard terminology, without which the full benefits of an EHR are unlikely to be realized. One expert notes th....

Author: Mason, Cheryl MSHI

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: September 2018

By Cheryl Mason, MSHI


Health information management (HIM) professionals serve as the data stewards of the patient medical record. They are responsible for capturing all necessary information about a patient and managing that information over time. As....

Author: Dolin, Robert H

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2010

SNOMED CT is a comprehensive clinical healthcare terminology developed in part for use within electronic health records (EHRs) to enable a more complete record of care. According to the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO), the organization responsible f....

Author: Kudla, Karen M.; Rallins, Marjorie C.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 1998

SNOMED is a detailed and specific coded vocabulary of names and descriptions used in healthcare -- explicitly designed for use in the computerized patient record. Here's an overview of this system and a look at its next generation.
Methods to collect data about human morbidity and morta....

Author: AHIMA Professional Ethics Committee

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: April 01, 2010

Anyone who is a member of AHIMA or holds its credentials agrees to abide by its code of ethics.


The code sets forth professional values and ethical principles, and it offers guidelines to which professionals aspire. “Ethical behaviors result from a pe....

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....