I am writing to you from the 2009 AHIMA National
Convention in Grapevine Texas. There is such a wide variety of quality topics
and content rich educational sessions to attend. Of course my favorite part was
at the HOD, where we extended a “Magical Mouskateer” invitation to join us in
2010 at the Orlando Gaylord for the AHIMA Convention.
Since
my last president’s message there has been quite a bit of activity. Most
recently FHIMA hosted a leadership conference where the FHIMA BOD and Regional
leadership convened to update the strategic plan. Fortunately, I am surrounded
by a number of talented professionals that are steadfast in making a difference
as a volunteer this year. The FHIMA BOD and Regional leaders are committed
to the strategic plan key priorities. These priorities capture the significance
of the charge set forth to enhance member education, leadership development,
student mentoring, strategic partnerships, and maintaining legislative momentum.
In addition we have established a new governance structure and reporting
process.
The primary responsibility of the FHIMA Board of Directors is
to set the vision, mission and strategic direction of FHIMA. In recognition of
this responsibility the board has approved some recent changes to our governance
structure. I believe the change will support and strengthen our objectives as an
association.
Purpose and rationale:
*
Enhance leadership development and succession planning *
Board member active involvement at the committee level *
Establish Regional ownership * Increase strategic
discussion and planning at board meetings * Strengthen
alignment with AHIMA
Click here to view the organization chart document.
As a final
point, there is very exciting momentum among the FHIMA work teams. The
Legislative/Advocacy and Program teams are driving efforts to build
relationships and identify key stakeholders with outside associations. Seeking
out more strategic relationships with key partners in the healthcare industry
will be a priority going forward. Currently the team is targeting strategic
opportunities with Florida HIMSS. One of the many goals is to increase awareness
of FHIMA and its members. As more people recognize our expertise, we gain value
and strength as individuals and professionals.
I would especially like
to thank the FHIMA committees, Board members and Regional leadership. The
development of the strategic plan, improved governance model and innovative
thought around creating key partnerships is due to the dedication and passion
demonstrated from these individuals.
I want to personally wish you a
happy and safe holiday season. I hope you enjoy the time you spend with your
family and friends for the Thanksgiving and Holiday season. Something to
remember as we close 2009 and begin a new year….I believe our accountability to
ourselves and others defines our character. It determines our success and our
ability to adjust to the challenges, changes and risks that confront us.
“Climbing to New Heights…Forging Pathways to the Future”.
Board members and leaders representing 9 regions
across the state of Florida participated in the FHIMA Leadership Conference.
This year’s conference was held in Orlando on September 25th and 26th. The
event provided a wonderful opportunity for FHIMA Leaders to network and gain
valuable insight on current AHIMA activities, web resource tools, and the FHIMA
strategic plan.
The conference kicked off with introductions and
participants stating their commitment with aligning their Regional association
with FHIMA.
AHIMA Update
Anita Doupnik presented an
overview of the AHIMA update from the Summer Team Talks held in Chicago.
The AHIMA key success factors (KSF) were reviewed. KSFs are factors or
activities that we must achieve in order for our profession to be successful in
the future.
AHIMA Key Success Factors
1.
Agility: Ability to adapt 2. Leadership Development 3.
Collaboration with Stakeholders 4. Generate
Evidenced-based Research 5. Reputation as a Trusted
Knowledge Source 6. High Quality Education 7.
Effective Accreditation and Certification 8. Service
Support for Members 9. A Clear Vision 10.
Influence/shaping policy. Leadership of policy
Tools You Can
Use
Carolyn Glavan demonstrated various on-line resources that are
invaluable to our membership. Carolyn provided a demonstration of the
AHIMA and FHIMA websites.
Did you know that FHIMA is now on
Facebook, My Space, and Twitter? Join today and be connected to the most
up to date information!
New Board/Leadership Organizational
Structure
Kimberly Eichner reviewed the new Board/Leadership
organizational structure. The new structure will include a committee of
the Regional Leaders. The Leaders will meet on a regular basis to network
and keep abreast of HIM news! The Leaders will be encouraged to
communicate the information with their Regional membership.
Strategic Planning Session
On the final day participants worked on
developing a strategic plan. The goal was to develop a strategic plan that
is aligned with AHIMA, however focused on the priorities impacting the
membership of FHIMA. At the end of the day, a new strategic plan was
developed! Each Regional Association volunteered to actively participate
in work groups focused on carrying out the established initiatives.
FHIMA Key Success Factors
1. Industry Leadership
2. Workforce Readiness 3. Membership
Value 4. Grow and Strengthen
Thank You
Thank you to the Leaders who participated in the conference. The
development of the new FHIMA strategic plan and the new Board/Leadership
organizational structure are the road maps to our future. We are hopeful
that the new revisions will empower and engage the membership and set the path
for the success of the HIM profession. In order to be successful, we need you to
volunteer, be involved, and communicate!
Tool Compares Federal and State Privacy Laws Linda Renn,
RHIT, CCS, CPC, CPC-H AHIMA SAW Committee
Florida's Agency for
Health Care Administration has launched on its Web site a crosswalk tool to make
sense of federal and state health privacy and security laws.
The
crosswalk search tool, available for providers and consumers, is designed to
assist individuals in identifying and becoming aware of the applicable
requirements of the federal privacy regulations arising from the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, and of Florida
state law with regard to the use and disclosure of protected health information.
The agency received a federal grant from the Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology to develop the crosswalk. It is built upon a
federally created Comparative Analysis Matrix. The matrix is a collection of
nearly 150 topics that involve health information exchange and are typically
addressed by state law. The topics are available in the "Report" feature of the
crosswalk tool.
The information on this site is only intended as
general summary information that is made available to the public. It is not
intended to provide specific legal advice or take the place of either written
law or regulations. This site does not substitute for legal guidance. Please
read the full
disclaimer and terms of use before using this site.
Report from the AHIMA House of Delegates Meeting October 2009
Dallas, TX
Florida sent 5 delegates to the AHIMA House of Delegates in
Dallas, Texas in October 2009. During the meeting, the delegates voted on
a proposed bylaw amendment to change delegate apportionment or the amount of
delegates allotted to each state. There was concern raised about the time
to consider the bylaw amendment. Multiple states expressed support for a
“Senate” model of representation. There was the perception that states
that lose delegates are de-valued. In the end, it was decided that this
bylaw amendment required further review by the HOD Operations Team and no
changes were made to delegate apportionment.
The Tennessee Health
Information Management Association proposed a resolution for professional
guidelines/best practices for electronic documentation. The resolution was
approved.
The HOD Team on Volunteer and Leadership Development proposed
a resolution on volunteer and leadership development. The resolution was
approved.
During the House of Delegates meeting, the delegates
participate in different discussion groups on various “issue items”. These
groups then report back to the entire House of Delegates. Below is a
summary of discussion points generated during the meeting for each of the issue
items. Summary of Issue Item: “Workforce”
What should
HOD or AHIMA focus on? Delegates felt that CSAs need to reach
out to the governor offices to get a seat at the table when the states are
working out the HIT actions. In addition, CSAs need marketing kits to send
the right message to right people.
What do our graduates need to be
effective in the workforce? Delegates discussed that graduates need more
IT skills, an emphasis on technology, more education on project management and
project analysis.
What role does the Professional Practice Experience
(PPE) play in workforce readiness? During the discussion, delegates
emphasized that there is a need to refocus the role of PPE, perhaps get skill
building virtually and utilize the sites for soft skills: communications,
professional interactions, learning how to solve problems in HIM, etc.
Summary of Issue Item: “Health Information Exchange”
Bullet
points from discussion group include:
Keep showing up: HIM visibility one-by-one; takes time
Form CSA
HIE Committee: 3-year terms to ensure continuity
Develop clear,
uniform message to avoid contradiction in CSA message; especially re
privacy/security
Encourage an HIE business model; consider
where it fits in the infrastructure
Push for HIM functionality
answers to operational and data integrity challenges (patient identity,
database overlays)
Assert HIM expertise in information content,
use, terminology, flow and processes
Leverage committee
presence to open doors into other opportunities
Don’t wait for
an invitation!
Summary of Issue Item: “Organizational
Futures Project”
Potential new HIM roles include:
Focus on developing both HIE and EHR adoption—need a balance
Bringing HIM to thread through the business processes across the continuum
Driving new governance structures in healthcare organizations
Explore: What defines the profession as new people with different
educational backgrounds get interested in HIM? How can we identify and find
them? Is there a model for what we will look like?
Find ways to
collaborate with other industry stakeholders; be a convener, build
communication and trust. May be easier to do this at the state level.
Build a body of knowledge based on sound information management principles
that can be portable across domains to solve problems.
Streamline communication between AHIMA leadership (councils, HOD, etc.) and
members.
Make sure HIM professionals in all settings/roles
share the same vision of what AHIMA is and is trying to accomplish.
How will the association support the diversity of members without losing
track of the basics?
Collaboration: determine what unique value
we bring and make sure others recognize it.
CSAs need clear
directions, priorities, specifics to accomplish strategy with impact and
accountability
Look for ways to do outreach to the right
audiences about who we are
Summary of Issue Item:
“ICD-10 Implementation and Training”
Discussion included how CSAs
can use various mechanisms: coding roundtable process, data quality committee,
other volunteer Board Members, local educators, paid consultants to educate.
Many CSA’s planning to start by providing anatomy and physiology training.
CSA’s might explore mechanisms to provide scholarships, funding assistance for
existing workforce (a shift from only doing this for incoming workforce, i.e.
academic students). For smaller, more rural states: identify those who
will be trained by employers, collaborate with nearby CSAs. States exploring
training delivery mechanisms, e.g. collaborate with local hosp association to
use their webinar technology or CSAs are considering an academy in their state,
some sending a trainer to the academy and then will train in their state, etc.
It will be important for CSAs to have a roadmap with a clear training strategy
so know what they should be doing at key timeframes.
Summary of
Issue Item: “EHR Implementation – HIT Adoption and ARRA”
This
group focused on the first question, “Who are we and what is our message with
EHR and ARRA? First the group identified the qualities of the HIM
professional:
Privacy Champions:
We are consumer advocates, privacy experts.
Content Experts:
We understand content, data usage.
Document Experts: We
know what the rules are.
Gatekeepers: We ensure that all
of the pieces come together.
Balancing Act: We understand
how the clinical drives the financial.
Infrastructure: We
are an integral part of the infrastructure that supports EHRs.
Educators: We educate the healthcare industry regarding health
information, regardless of paper or electronic formats.
Integrity Specialists: We are the safety officers of the eHealth
World.
Best Practice/Standards: We know the standards and
best practices that will support accurate, timely health information
management.
Visionaries: We see the big picture of HIT
adoption outcomes.
Secondly, the group proposed and answered
the question, “How can HIM support HIT adoption?” The group considered
both the national level and the state level. At the national level,
suggested ideas include: developing a presentation toolkit, creating a letter to
justify importance including testimonials, expansion PHR campaign to include
EHR, use ACE members for representation, generate a specific letter directed at
Regional Extension Centers about HIM and to spotlight successful journeys in
newsletters/journals. At the state level, suggested ideas included a state
advocacy, partnering with other state associations, create a EHR Road Show and
to send newsletters to state legislators.
Other business that was
announced at the 2009 HOD was that Wendy Mangin, MS, RHIA, will serve as the
chair of the 2010 Nominating Committee. With the recent bylaws amendment,
Elizabeth Allan, RHIA (CA), will continue into a second year to fulfill a
two-year term, and Jill Callahan Dennis, JD, RHIA (CO), will start her two-year
term as the member-at- large of the 2010 Nominating Committee. The House voted
in September on the 2010 Nominating Committee. The other members are:
1. Jennifer McManis, RHIT, Montana HIMA
2. Sue Biedermann, MSHP, RHIA, Texas HIMA 3. Alicia Blevins, RHIA, CHP,
Tennessee HIMA
Finally, at the end of the HOD, your 5 Florida Delegates
approached the stage with Mickey ears and t-shirts, (of course singing
M-I-C-K-E-Y) to welcome the Delegation and all participants to the 2010 AHIMA
National Convention to Orlando, Florida! Mark your calendars now for the
82nd Annual AHIMA Convention and Exhibits scheduled for September 25-30, 2010 at
the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida. “See ya real soon”
Legislative and Advocacy Update
It’s time for our HIM
professional expertise and skills to shine! The HIM profession is being
looked to now more than ever for knowledge in face of the rapidly changing
landscape of legislative and advocacy.
Legal Beagles
Breaking News…In a recent issue of the Journal of AHIMA, a practice brief
defined the common ground between HIM and HIT professionals and stated that the
line between the traditional roles has been blurred by the convergence of
functions and reporting structures in the electronic healthcare environment. In
an effort to lead the way in this area, your FHIMA Board of Directors has begun
the process of seeking a partnership with the Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Our initial aim is to partner with them in
various advocacy and legislative efforts to form one voice to deliver to our
elected officials in Tallahassee. We have invited HIMSS to take part in our Hill
Day on March 11, 2009 and we hope that this will be the beginning of a committed
relationship that will benefit both parties.
Legal Manual Updates
Michelle Gay was appointed Chair of Legislative and has been working with the
entire group that rewrote the legal manual in 2007 to create new manual edits.
Drafts revisions will be complete by the end of October.
AHCA
Universal Authorization
A formal comment was sent from FHIMA to
AHCA regarding the proposal of a Universal Patient Authorization. AHCA was
receptive to feedback and will be issuing a formal response at a later date.
More information to come as this proposal develops.
HIMSS
Partnership
A great opportunity exists through the combined
strength of the FHIMA and HIMSS organizations. The FHIMA advocacy team has
developed a collaborative relationship with the HIMSS Board Members.
Initial activities in support of a joint effort include:
Website links between both associations so that members can easily view
information from both FHIMA and HIMSS. We hope to have these in place
in the coming weeks. Notification will be sent once complete.
2010 Hill Day combined forces for Advocacy. The 2010 Hill Day
scheduled for March 11. The FHIMA and HIMSS representatives would
attend this event together as a unified front providing more effectiveness
in helping to shape the legislative process.
Sharing Speakers
will be complementary to both associations. HIMSS has a tremendous
group of speakers with excellent knowledge of the current technology issues
impacting the HIM profession.
Want to be part of paving
our way?
Advocacy Liaison: We are
seeking an HIM professional interested in service to FHIMA as the “Advocacy
Liaison” for the 2010-2011 term. This representative would begin their
duties immediately by serving as apprentice to our current Advocacy Liaison,
Diana Alberts. Activities would include assistance with Hill Day
preparations and monitoring current legislative and advocacy issues.
Advocacy Listener: Join the advocacy team and provide support by
listening to issues on the forefront and helping keep watch of legislative
activity.
If interested in either of these roles, send a
message with your contact information to FHIMA at
info@fhima.org.
FHIMA News
FHIMA Service Awards
Nominate a HIM Professional who
deserves recognition!
Nominations will be taken soon for the following
awards:
Distinguished Member
Distinguished Service (FHIMA Member or Non-member)
Literary
Outstanding Student
Outstanding New
Professional
Outstanding Professional
Educator
Award (NEW!)
Mentor Award (NEW!)
We have many
deserving members. Be sure to think about your colleagues and nominate
them for an award.
2010 FHIMA Scholarships Information Attention HIM Program
Students!
FHIMA is pleased to announce a continued support of
individuals pursuing Health Information Management careers. FHIMA has
again voted to provide scholarships this year to students enrolled in both
undergraduate and graduate studies related to the Health Information Management
field. In addition, FHIMA will again award the Charlotte Stockton Memorial
Scholarship.
As in years past, scholarships will be awarded to FHIMA
members to defray the cost of a Health Information Management related education.
FHIMA announces that it will again award the Charlotte Stockton Memorial
Scholarship. This scholarship honors the memory of Charlotte Stockton
(Stat Solutions, Inc. and Professional Outsourcing Solutions, Inc.) who was
committed to the HIM Profession. This scholarship will be offered to
qualified applicants enrolled in AHIMA approved Coding Certificate programs.
Click here for general FHIMA Scholarships Application
Click here for Charlotte Stockton Memorial Scholarship for Coding
Certificate Program students
FHIMA Call for Elections!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE... FHIMA
Needs Enthusiastic Volunteers LIKE YOU!
Each year, we seek candidates
for the following positions:
President-Elect: The position is
a 3-year commitment. The president-elect is a member of the Board and
works closely with the President and Management Steering Committee. The
2nd year is the President, and the 3rd year, sits on the Board as Past
President/Director.
Qualifications: 1)
Experience serving as an FHIMA Board Member 2) Active Membership in
AHIMA and FHIMA
Director: This is a 2-year commitment.
Each year THREE Directors are voted on to the Board. They serve as
liaisons to Committees and conduct business of the Association.
Qualifications: 1) Experience serving as an FHIMA Committee Chair or
officer in a regional association or prior HIM leadership role in another state.
2) Active Membership in AHIMA and FHIMA.
Delegate to AHIMA:
This is a 2-year commitment. The first year the AHIMA Delegate attends the
AHIMA Annual meeting, and the second year, attends the AHIMA Meeting AND sits on
the Board as Chief Delegate.
Qualifications:
1) FHIMA Board or Committee Chair experience. 2) Served as a delegate
to FHIMA House of Delegates 3) Active Membership in AHIMA and
FHIMA.
*FHIMA Board members who fulfill their term obligations will
receive a complimentary FULL registration to the FHIMA Annual Convention!
Click here to complete the online call for nomination form
AHIMA Update
AHIMA Calls on Members to Write Letters to Senate Opposing HR 3763
AHIMA recently sent a
letter to Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and the Senate Committee on Banking,
Housing and Urban Affairs to oppose any consider of HR 3763, legislation that
would exempt certain businesses, including healthcare practices with 20 or fewer
employees, from the requirements of the Red Flags Rule. AHIMA is asking
members to visit the Action Center of the
Advocacy Assistant to send a letter to their Senators opposing this
legislation. The letter has already been drafted and can be personalized if you
wish to do so. According to the Center for Studying Health System Change’s
report, “A Snapshot of US Physicians: Key Findings from the 2008 Health Tracking
Physician Survey,” 47 percent of physicians are in practices no larger than six.
If you include practices with up to 50 physicians, this would equate to 66
percent of all practicing physicians in the US. Excluding any portion of these
offices from the Red Flags Rule would make them an even larger target for
identity theft and healthcare fraud perpetrators. This would be extremely
detrimental to raising the awareness of identity theft and its impact on
healthcare fraud.
AHIMA believes that if HR 3763 is enacted, it
would create a void not only in the ability to protect an individual’s health
information privacy, but also further inhibit our nation’s ability to fight the
ongoing and burgeoning problem of healthcare fraud. Government and law
enforcement agencies estimate healthcare fraud costs the US between 3 percent
and 10 percent of its healthcare expenditures each year—potentially $226
billion! The Red Flags Rule was implemented to raise awareness and act as a
barrier against identity theft and healthcare fraud. With this in mind, please
send your letter to the Senate today.
More Delays for the Red Flags Rule
The Federal Trade
Commission has announced a new delay for the Red Flags Rule. Enforcement will
now begin June 1, 2010. The delay, announced October 30, comes at the request of
Congressional members, the FTC said. The rule was scheduled to go into effect
November 1.
The announcement comes a week after the House of
Representatives passed an amendment to the rule that would exclude certain
businesses, including small healthcare, accounting, and legal practices. The
House bill is currently in the Senate (see story 3). Read more at the
Journal of AHIMA
House Democrats Release Reform Proposal, Administrative Simplification Language
Included
On October 29, House Democratic leaders announced
the unveiling of HR 3962, the “Affordable Healthcare for America Act,” and are
readying for floor consideration on either November 5 or 6. The bill addresses:
Coverage and choice
Affordability
Shared
responsibility
Prevention, wellness, and public health
Workforce investments
Controlling costs
One of
the cost-controlling measures in the legislation is language to provide for
administrative simplification by establishing standards for financial and
administrative transactions. In addition, the bill provides for the adoption of
a single, binding, comprehensive companion guide that includes operating rules
for each ASC X12 version 5010 transaction—effective until a new version of these
transactions are adopted and implemented. AHIMA is supportive of the above
provisions but continues to work against a provision that would require the
promulgation of an interim final rule to establish a standard for a health
claims attachment transaction. The claims attachment language would require the
interim final rule within one year of enactment of HR 3962. For additional
information, access the Action Center of the
Advocacy Assistant.
HHS Issues Interim Final Rule to Implement the HITECH Act’s Strengthened Civil
Money Penalty Scheme
The US Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued an interim final rule on
October 30 to conform the enforcement regulations promulgated under the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to currently
effective statutory revisions made pursuant to the Health Information Technology
for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was enacted as part of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
In this interim final
rule, published in the October 30 Federal Register, HHS amends HIPAA’s
enforcement regulations that relate to the imposition of civil money penalties
to incorporate the HITECH Act’s categories of violations, tiered ranges of civil
money penalty amounts, and revised limitations on the Secretary’s authority to
impose civil money penalties for established violations of HIPAA’s
administrative simplification rules. This interim final rule does not make
amendments with respect to those enforcement provisions of the HITECH Act that
are not yet effective under the applicable statutory provisions. This interim
final rule is effective November 30.
HHS has invited public
comments on the interim final rule, which will be considered if received no
later than December 29. This interim final rule will be available for public
comment at
www.regulations.gov.
AHRQ Releases New Resources for Health IT System Adoption
The
health IT bibliography represents both peer-reviewed articles from professional
journals and Web-based resources from highly respected healthcare and IT
organizations. The bibliography’s articles and resources provide knowledge and
insight that may help clinicians and organizations implement systems and models
related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act.
Kimberly
Eichner MBA, RHIA
Since
my last president’s message there has been quite a bit of activity. Most
recently FHIMA hosted a leadership conference where the FHIMA BOD and Regional
leadership convened to update the strategic plan. Fortunately, I am surrounded
by a number of talented professionals that are steadfast in making a difference
as a volunteer this year. The FHIMA BOD and Regional leaders are committed
to the strategic plan key priorities. These priorities capture the significance
of the charge set forth to enhance member education, leadership development,
student mentoring, strategic partnerships, and maintaining legislative momentum.
