Dwan Thomas Flowers, MBA, RHIA, CCS
FHIMA Announces Webinar “Joint Commission IM & RC Standards for
2009”
Earn CEU’s for writing articles for FHIMA’s e-Coastlines!
FHIMA Call for Elections
FHIMA Service Awards
Attention HIM Program
Students
Mark Your Calendars
Choosing the Right Coding Credential
AHIMA New Credential
Free Birth Certificate Policy Clarification
Encouragement for Recent Grads
Student Forums
NEFHIMA Update
AMIA White Paper Examines Open Source Software
in Healthcare
New Health Story Project Unveiled
Study: New Doctors Feel Less Efficient Without
Technology
Sentencing in HIPAA Violation
Give AHIMA Your Feedback, Enter to Win AmEx
Gift Card
CoP News You Can Use:
Locating Journal Articles in the BoK
Using ACE Members as a Professional Resource
AHIMA Issues Position Statement on
Health Data Stewardship
AHRQ, OCR Issue Final Rule for Patient Safety
New California Privacy Laws Effective January 1
CoP News You Can Use
FORE Provides Information for Year-end Planned Giving
Get Involved with AHIMA through Elected
Positions
IFHRO Announces 2010 Meeting
Study Finds Location Can Affect Safety, Care
for Chronically Ill
Joint Commission Report Recommends Changes
for the Hospital of the Future
HL7 Announces New CDA Implementation Guides
ANSI Develops Health IT Work Group
Report Outlines Actions to Cut Healthcare
Waste
 |
Dwan
Thomas Flowers, MBA, RHIA, CCS
S.H.I.N.E.
A time for Self-examination,
Humility, Integrity, Novelty
& Enthusiasm |
 |
Happy 2009! It is so hard to believe that 2008
has come and gone. The new year is always a good time to stop
and reflect on how you spent the most precious gift of time and
how you can better expend that time in the future. It is truly
a time for Self-examination to ensure that you are
true to yourself and appropriately committed to your current
obligations (family, friends, loved-ones, profession,
spirituality to name a few). Humility is a great
characteristic. For some, it is inherent; for others, it should
be adopted. Being humble can make the difference in how others
respond to you, which really can make a difference in your
successes in all aspects of life. Integrity is a
given in the HIM profession. It’s almost pointless to mention,
considering the sensitive nature of the very fabric of our
professional existence. Novelty is essential
during times of transition. The profession is in a constant
state of transition, and there is no better time to exercise
innovation. Finally, Enthusiasm is a necessity to
keep a fresh outlook for things to come. It is indispensable to
our growth, and we have to be forward-thinking and creative to
thrive. I am sure that we all can apply the above concepts to
all aspects of our lives. From an HIM perspective, hopefully
taking time to reflect as well as to project will assist us in
meeting our current needs.
As a part of 2008 HIM reflections, I would like
to remind everyone that National Health Information & Technology
Week (HI&T) week was held November 2nd – 8th.
I hope that each of you were able to participate and will
perhaps share some the ideas that you implemented to recognize
HIM professionals. This is a great opportunity to market the
HIM profession as well as showcase the successes your area may
have had during the year. It would be wonderful if anyone would
like to share some of their ideas via an eCoastlines article,
showing how HIM-friendly your organization is and what your role
is in ensuring that HIM is recognized for its critical work.
On December 5th, the first 2008-2009
FHIMA Regional Presidents and President Elect phone conference
was held. These phone calls are scheduled bi-monthly, and I
appreciate the participation. The regional leaders had the
opportunity to share a few best practice items with one
another. We learned about a variety of types and frequencies of
meetings, discussed dues and other fundraising opportunities. I
am looking forward to the next one, which is scheduled for April
17, 2009 from 3-4 pm.
FHIMA e-alerts will be returning shortly. We
expect to send the blasts out each month again, beginning in
January. This is a way to keep the membership informed of
what’s new, upcoming deadlines and important events like Hill
Day and the AHIMA Regional Coding meeting, which FHIMA hosts
this year. More information is forthcoming. We received
positive feedback regarding this style, and we look forward to
continuing with this form of communication.
Also, now is the time to think about submitting
nominations for Service Awards and volunteer positions. Each
year FHIMA needs a new President-Elect, Directors and a Delegate
to AHIMA. Additionally, speakers are needed to ensure the
success of the FHIMA Annual Convention. If you know of someone
or are interested in one of these positions, please visit the
“What’s New” section of
www.fhima.org for a nominations form or to volunteer.
I hope you each had a happy holiday season and a
memorable 2008. I sincerely send my regards to each of you and
your families with hopes for a bright 2009 in which you will
continue to S.H.I.N.E. There are several ways that you can
accomplish this. Writing an article, mentoring a student,
accepting an intern, volunteering and enhancing your own HIM
knowledge base are all good ways to start! Each small step
towards advancing the science of HIM is appreciated.
FHIMA Announces Webinar “Joint Commission IM & RC Standards for
2009”
Speaker, Patricia Brown, MS, RHIA,
President, IBF Group
ARE YOU READY for the many changes with
the IM standards for 2009?
Join us for an informative webinar on
the changes with the Joint Commission IM standards effective in
2009. This session will examine the impact The Joint
Commission “Standards Improvement Project” will have on HIM
departments and professionals when this “project” goes live
January 1, 2009. A special focus will be placed on the 2009
National Patient Safety Goals that affect HIM. The Joint
Commission standards that pose “opportunities” for the HIM
professional will also be targeted. Throughout the entire
presentation, tips on how to put your best foot forward during a
Joint Commission survey, will be given. In addition, some of the
IM Standards that have been revised and relocated to the Record
of Care, Treatment and Services Chapter will be discussed in
detail.
1.5 CEUs will be offered at the
completion of the webinar.
Registration is $95 per person for
registrations posted on or before 1/23/09 and $110 after
1/23/09. To register go to
www.fhima.org and click on What’s New to find the
registration form link.
Earn CEU’s for writing articles for FHIMA’s e-Coastlines!
You can earn 2 AHIMA CE units for writing
articles for the state newsletter. Florida’s state newsletter
is the online newsletter called e-Coastlines. In order to for
the article to qualify for CE units it must be related to the
HIM field and at least 3 paragraphs in length.
So get those fingers typing! FHIMA is always in
need of informative articles on a variety of HIM topics. For
example, we would love informative articles on ICD-10, e-HIM and
best practices to name a few! We are also looking for articles
from HIM professionals who work in an “HIM friendly” environment
to share their experiences and efforts to get HIM recognized and
supported in their organization. How have you worked with
administration to promote the importance of HIM in your
organization? By sharing experiences, other professionals may
be able to follow your footsteps and implement ideas and
strategies in their own work setting to boost the support for
HIM!
To submit articles, please email them to the
FHIMA e-Coastlines Chair, Becky Dicus at
becky.dicus@hcahealthcare.com
Article submission deadlines are: February 15,
April 15, June 15, August 15, October 15 and December 15.
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 obtain the 2009 Nominations Form
For more information, please contact:
Michelle Mock, MSM, RHIA
FHIMA Nominations Chair
Fax: (813) 464-8333
michelle.mock@wellcare.com
Voting will take place electronically in the Spring. Watch
for emails and postcard indicating when FHIMA polls are open!
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.
Click here for Service Awards Criteria
Click here for Service Awards Nomination Form
Attention HIM Program
Students!
2008 FHIMA
SCHOLARSHIPS INFORMATION
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
Mark Your
Calendars!
The FHIMA 2009 Annual Convention is July 13-16,
2009 at the Omni Orlando Resort ChampionsGate, Florida.
Registration information will be available in early Spring.
Watch the FHIMA website for details!
Choosing the Right
Coding Credential
By Stacie L. Buck, RHIA,
CCS-P, LHRM, RCC
Email: sbuck@radrx.com
As the demand for
qualified coders has increased, so has the number of coding
programs and coding certifications available to coding
professionals seeking to demonstrate their coding proficiency.
The business of offering credentials is indeed a lucrative one
with many organizations competing for your business; therefore
it is imperative that you become an informed consumer when
deciding which coding certification to pursue. Earning and
maintaining a coding credential is a long term investment and
one that deserves careful consideration.
Over the years I have
spoken with individuals who have spent hundreds and even
thousands of dollars to participate in coding training programs
and earn certifications only to find that their studies have not
adequately prepared them nor do employers recognize the
credential that they have earned. To avoid finding yourself in
the same situation, here are some items to consider to ensure a
credential meets your needs and if it is a wise investment of
your time and money:
Career Goals
-
Where do you want to work? Does the
healthcare setting in which you want to work prefer a
particular credential?
-
Is there a particular specialty in which you
would like to work? If so, is there a specialty credential
that is preferred by employers of that specialty?
-
Do you need to earn multiple credentials?
-
Do you already have one or more credentials?
Will the additional credential demonstrate a distinct
competency or skill from the credential(s) you already
possess?
Recognition
Qualifications
Costs
-
What is the exam fee?
-
How many continuing education credits are
required to maintain the credential?
-
How can continuing education credits be
earned? Are credits earned only by participating in
programs approved by the organization offering the
credential?
-
What is the estimated cost of continuing
education maintenance?
-
What are the benefits are offered by the
organization and what are the fees?
A career in coding
can be both an exciting and rewarding one, but it is one that
should be carefully considered and planned to ensure your
desired success in it. Best of luck to you on your coding
journey!
AHIMA Offers New Credential In Health Data Analytics
By Carla Gaines, MPH,
RHIA, CCS
Chairman, Data Quality Committee
It’s official. AHIMA
is offering the Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA) credential
as approved by the House of Delegates in October of this year.
This new credential is intended to recognize and distinguish
individuals who analyze and interpret health data as a primary
responsibility and is designed to validate mastery skills as
opposed to minimum competency.
In October 2007,
the Council on Certification ( CoC ) solicited preliminary
member feedback by presenting the concept to the AHIMA HOD as
an issue forum. Although not presented for a vote, the HOD
approved the concept in theory and the CoC proceeded with a
workforce study that supported the need for this new
credential. A motion was presented in the 2008 HOD and an
informed decision was made to offer the CHDA credential.
Eligible members may now register to sit for this examination.
As the healthcare
industry continues to become more data-driven, the HIM
profession is in need of professionals who can effectively
gather and process all kinds of health data to facilitate
informed decision making for healthcare organizations, insurers,
and policymakers. According to AHIMA, this prestigious
certification will provide practitioners with the knowledge to
acquire, manage, analyze, interpret, and transform data into
accurate, consistent, and timely information.
For additional
information or to register for the examination, visit
www.ahima.org/certification or call (800) 335-5535.
DOH Requests Hospitals’ Assistance in Clarifying Birth
Certificate Policy
The following article was submitted by the Florida
Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics:
There seems to be something
of an “urban legend” roaming around in Florida hospitals. The state
office receives daily inquiries from parents wanting to know where
their “free” birth certificate is for their baby. They are
convinced they were told they would get a free copy and “remember”
getting one with their last child.
There is no automatic free
copy of a birth certification. Most facilities provide a packet of
information upon the mother and child’s release, which may include
information on how to obtain a certification from either the county
or state office, but there is a fee associated with this service.
The birth registrar works
with the mother in completing a birth worksheet from which the
actual birth certificate is constructed, so it may be that the
parents misunderstand this process and conclude that they will get a
free certification. Perhaps they question if there is a fee for
completing and filing the birth certificate and when told that there
is no fee involved, it is misinterpreted. It’s really hard to say
how the misunderstanding actually originates, but we don’t want
parents failing to order a birth certification under the
misconception they will automatically get one in the mail, free of
charge.
We ask hospital birth
registrars to work with the parents and explain they may obtain a
certification of their child’s birth certificate from any county
health department or from the state office. Information on
obtaining the certification from the state office can be found on
our website at:
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/planning_eval/vital_statistics/index.html
Encouragement for Recent Graduates!
By Charono Vandergriff, RHIT, CPC
I want to congratulate all of you on your recent
graduation of the Health Information Management Program. You
have accomplished a great milestone in your life and should feel
great pride and self gratification for this momentous
accomplishment. I recently graduated from my HIM program and
immediately set my goal to take the National RHIT exam as soon
as possible. Even though, I was filled with anxiety and fear
regarding passing the exam. I began studying and in October of
this year I passed my RHIT exam. The moment you find out you
passed the exam is a wonderful experience. The happiness,
excitement, pride, and of course the relief all coming together
at once is a moment in your life you will always remember. So,
don’t let fear make you delay in taking your exam. Now is the
time to send in your application and set the date to take your
National Examination while the material is fresh on your mind.
In addition to the Professional Review Guide for the RHIT
Examination I used the Alfred State University website. For
$25.00, you can use the websites practice tests and take their
RHIT Mock Exam. I have included the Alfred State web address for
your convenience. Good Luck to All.
http://www.alfredstate.edu/search/node/RHIT+Prep
Student Forums Are A Great Success In Northeast Florida
By Raeanna Bonetti
When I think back to when I was a student, I remember feeling very unsure about
my future. I had no idea what I was going to do with my degree. Most people
who choose HIM think they want to be a coder and, of course, everyone wants to
work from home. I was no different. Once I took my first coding class though,
I realized quickly that coding was not for me. So I began wondering, “What
other options do I have?” Luckily for me I already worked in a healthcare
organization and had management experience. So…I knew I had alternatives. But
what about all of the students who don’t work in a healthcare setting and don’t
have anyone to mentor them? They also need to know that they have
alternatives.
Something we do here in Northeast Florida to help students make HIM
career choices is to facilitate an annual student forum. The key here is
Early Planning!
The first thing to do is determine where and
when the event will be held. We contacted our local HIM program
directors and found that Tuesdays and Thursdays work best.
Students usually attend classes those days and the program
directors could have them attend the forum instead of class.
The program directors were also able to give us an idea of how
many students to expect so that we were able to be better
prepared with things like seating, handouts and refreshments.
The other decision that we were able to make with the program
directors’ help was to hold the event in February. Since
students graduate in May, they usually start trying to network
around this time.
The next item on the agenda was to call/email
local hospitals to see who had a room large enough to
accommodate us. Our 2nd annual event hosted
approximately 100 people.
We then called local members and asked for
volunteers. People are much more likely to say yes when you ask
personally. One of the volunteers was a speaker who talked
about her HIM journey and motivated the students. The other
volunteers set up different stations for the students to stop
at. These stations included coding, management, clinical
informatics, consultants, educators, transcription and privacy
officers, etc. We even had a station to tell the students about
how they could volunteer in the local association. The F.I.R.E
committee wore black t-shirts with our new logo on them. These
were a big hit! This event turned out to be a great success
because of all of the volunteers involved!
This year we would like to make the event even
better! We have plans to invite local high school students with
interests in healthcare professions by sending flyers to the
local high school guidance counselors. We would also like to
have a vendor sponsor the event so that we can provide a light
dinner. Most of our volunteers come straight from work and this
would be a great benefit. This means that we will need an extra
room for food this year.
I know this all sounds like a lot of work and
when you first start putting it all together it feels like it.
However, once you get a few volunteers involved, it all pulls
together smoothly. When you hear the student’s comments after
the event, it makes it all worth it. It is amazing how quickly
you can get motivated to start working on the next event to make
sure it is even better!
What’s Happening in the Northeast Region! An update from
NEFHIMA.
By Lynn Jacek, RHIT, President-Elect, NEFHIMA
Wow…It’s so hard to believe that half the year
is over and so much has happened here in our region!
Hi! My name is Lynn Jacek. I have been an RHIT
since 1996, currently working as a coding specialist at The Mayo
Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida since arriving 2-1/2 yrs ago.
Originally from Buffalo, NY, my career in the medical field
began as a candy striper, a nurse’s aide, and continued on as a
nurse for 20+ years. As the “new kid in town”, I served last
year as the co-chair for the F.I.R.E. (Find, Inspire, Recruit,
and Educate) committee for NEFHIMA and am currently the
President-elect of the North East Florida Health Information
Management Association for 2008-2009. I was asked to write and
tell you all about our Scholarship Fund efforts.
This year, we have made the Scholarship Fund and
the F.I.R.E. Committee two of our top priorities.
First, by holding business meetings at the
beginning of our regional meetings we have significantly
increased attendance and participation at the business portion
of our meetings. This change has given us the opportunity to
motivate our membership to become more involved in making group
decisions and voicing their opinions. We have tried to foster a
more interactive meeting time while keeping it focused. We also
created a fun atmosphere by just being relaxed, down to earth,
and having “Super Coder Girl” show up to lighten things up.
We started a “Spare Change for Scholarships” jar
and have encouraged everyone to put whatever change they have
lying around the house, the car, and the office desk drawer into
it at each meeting. One of our members even brought in a change
counting machine so we can have an instant tally at the end of
each meeting. We have been raffling off baked goods at $1.00
per/ticket with all proceeds going to the scholarship fund. One
of the members even put out a challenge to the rest of the group
to match or exceed her $50 donation to the Scholarship Fund.
Our goal is to provide a minimum of three $500 scholarships by
the end of this 2008-2009 year for HIM students attending our
local colleges. To date we have raised $258 by these combined
efforts.
We are also working to encourage our local
students to become more actively involved in the association.
We have a number of opportunities that need volunteers, such as
mailings, setting up at meetings, phone calls, making posters,
helping to man booths for our Spring Seminar and any other areas
where they can help us while also learning what NEFHIMA is all
about and networking with people already in the HIM profession.
The local HIM program directors are active in our association
and they encourage their students to attend meetings and
seminars that we offer. Our Student Forum is quickly approaching
in February. We are hoping to meet or exceed last year’s
attendance.
Finally, our F.I.R.E. committee has received
requests for speakers to come out and talk with students at a
few of the local college HIM programs, as well as, with several
of the local high schools. Letters of introduction were sent to
all the local high school and alternative school guidance
counselors in the counties that we serve requesting the
opportunity to come speak to students and/or be a part of their
career fairs at the school. We have been well-received and, in
one case, were even asked to come back to speak to a class in a
new semester. We are looking into having t-shirts made with our
F.I.R.E. Committee logo on it, and plan to sell them for a few
dollars over cost so that we can provide educational materials
for students when we go out to speak at the schools.
All in all, we are seeing our efforts pay off
with all of these diligent efforts. Please feel free to contact
myself or anyone on the Board if you have any questions,
concerns or suggestions.
“It’s time
to light a fire in the heart of every future HIM professional…one
student at a time”.
Find!
Inspire! Recruit! Educate!
NEFHIMA
2008
Upcoming Events:
There are no listed events for 2009 as of yet.
AMIA White Paper Examines Open Source Software
in Healthcare
The American Medical Informatics Association recently released a
white paper, “Free and Open Source Software in Healthcare 1.0,”
examining open source software and its unique properties which can
solve some challenges for health information technology. The paper
explores concerns about cost, ethics, interoperability, privacy and
security. The complete white paper is available
here.
New Health Story Project Unveiled
Last week the project formerly known as Clinical Document
Architecture for Common Document Types (CDA4CDT) announced it will
now be known as the Health Story Project. The Health Story Project
develops and promotes data standards that support the flow of
information between narrative documents and electronic health
records. The Health Story Project is a collaborative of healthcare
vendors, providers, and associations that hold an Associate Charter
Agreement with Health Level Seven (HL7) including M*Modal, AHIMA,
the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, and the
Medical Transcription Industry Association. CDA4CDT will continue as
the label for the technical standards developed by the project and
submitted to Health Level Seven (HL7) for ballot. Click
here to learn more.
Study: New Doctors Feel Less Efficient Without
Technology
A recent study conducted with graduates of the Vanderbilt
University Medical Center shows that doctors who were trained to
work in a technology-rich environment but work in less modern
facilities feel less able to practice safe care. “Performing Without
a Net: Transitioning Away from a Health Information Technology-rich
Training Environment” is published in the December issue of Academic Medicine. Lead author of the study, Kevin Johnson, MD,
said when new doctors “realize the systems they have are less
functional and less pervasive than the systems which they are
familiar, there is an entirely new set of challenges to master.” The
abstract of the article is available
here.
Sentencing in HIPAA Violation
An Arkansas woman who was the first in her
state to be prosecuted under HIPAA was sentenced to probation and
community service. Andrea Smith, a 25-year-old woman from Trumann,
AR, was sentenced on December 3 to two years probation and 100 hours
of community service for accessing and disclosing a patient’s health
information for personal gain.
The incident took place in November 2006. Smith was fired upon
discovery of the breach, and in December 2007 a federal indictment
charged her with wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable
health information for personal gain and malicious harm. Smith faced
a maximum of 10 years in prison, a fine of no more than $250,000, or
both, as well as a term of supervised release of not more than three
years. You can read more
here at the
Journal of AHIMA Web site.
Give AHIMA Your Feedback, Enter to Win AMEX
Gift Card
AHIMA is conducting research to improve our Web
site and would appreciate your feedback on
ahima.org by completing a brief online survey. This survey will
take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete. All responses to this
survey are confidential and will only be used in the aggregate. If
you take the time to complete this survey, AHIMA will show its
appreciation by entering your name into a raffle to win one of five
$50 American Express gift cards. To get started, click
here. Thank you in advance; your feedback is very valuable to
us.
CoP News You Can Use:
Locating Journal Articles in the BoK
Did you know that you can find complete articles from the
Journal
of AHIMA in the FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge (BoK)? Most
articles published since January 1998 are available. In the BoK
section of the AHIMA Community, you can find a link to the latest
issue of the Journal. Simply click on the link to view all
the articles from the issue. You can also store links to earlier
issues of the Journal in the BoK section of your personal CoP
page. When you can’t access your print copy, find the information in
the BoK.
Don’t miss “HIM and Health IT: Discovering Common Ground in an
Electronic Healthcare Environment” from the November/December 2008
issue of the Journal. This new practice brief was developed
by AHIMA’s Privacy and Security Practice Council. To access the BoK,
go to
www.ahima.org and log in using your AHIMA ID number and password
in myAHIMA on the right side. Click on FORE Library: HIM Body
of Knowledge in myAHIMA.
Using ACE Members as a Professional Resource
ACE (the Action Community for e-HIM Excellence)
mobilizes a network of experts and change agents to identify,
prepare, engage, mentor, and recognize those working to transform
HIM practice. Click
here if you are interested in becoming an ACE.
ACE members match their skills and interests with volunteer and
career-building opportunities. They form a preferred pool of experts
and a network of peers transforming HIM. It is through mentoring,
writing, speaking, and testifying for AHIMA and the Component State
Associations (CSA) that ACE members share their e-HIM expertise and
accelerate change. ACE members attain personal recognition and
acknowledgment by peers, employers, and the healthcare industry. You
can use these members to help you and your CSA. Click
here to visit the ACE directory to find a member.
AHIMA Issues Position Statement on
Health Data Stewardship
AHIMA has just published a new position statement on data
stewardship calling for a nationwide effort among the healthcare and
information technology industries, relevant government agencies,
federal legislators, employers, and consumers to establish or
identify and authorize a national health data stewardship entity
(NHDSE). This NHDSE would coordinate the bodies that support the
life cycle and collection of data exchanged over electronic and
other health information exchange systems and the data stored in a
variety of repositories or registries. Currently there is no
universal authoritative source, law, or regulation that addresses
and defines stakeholder rights and responsibilities and further
ensures consistency and integrity in data collection (including
common data definitions), distribution, and storage that allows for
appropriate use of such data.
Click here to access the position statement.
AHRQ, OCR Issue Final Rule for Patient Safety
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the
Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a final rule for patient safety
organizations (PSOs), which is now available
here.The rule becomes effective on January 19, 2009, and
provides final requirements and procedures for PSOs—new entities
with which clinicians and healthcare providers can work to collect,
aggregate, and analyze data, within a legally secure environment of
privilege and confidentiality protections to identify and reduce
patient care risks and hazards. Under interim guidance issued on
October 8, AHRQ listed 15 PSOs that will maintain their status
during the remainder of the interim period and be required to comply
with the final rule once it takes effect.
Click here to view the November 21
Federal Register
notice.
New California Privacy Laws Effective January 1
Effective January 1, 2009, two new laws will provide oversight,
reporting, stricter requirements, and increased penalties for
breaches in the state of California. Unauthorized access is defined
as “the inappropriate review or viewing of patient medical
information without a direct need for diagnosis, treatment, or other
lawful use” as permitted by the California Medical Information Act.
For facilities, fines for unlawful disclosure will range from
$25,000–$250,000 per reported event. Covered facilities are required
to report any unlawful or unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of
patient health information to the health department and patient no
later than five days after detection by the facility or face a $100
per day fine. In addition the legislation creates the Office of
Health Information Integrity within the California Health and Human
Services Agency. The legislation also requires referral of licensed
individuals to appropriate boards. Law AB-211 can
be found
here.
Law SB-541 can be found
here.
CoP News You Can Use
In the last e-alert (see item nine of the November 20 issue) we
presented some tips for Community of Practice Terms and Conditions
of Use. Here are some additional guidelines.
Things You Can Do in the CoP
-
Check out Career Assist/Job Bank. Links to
Career Assist are located at the bottom of all pages as well as
at the top of your Personal Page. You can post job listings and
post your resume for free in Career Assist. You can also search
Career Assist for resumes of members seeking new opportunities.
-
Promote products and services developed by
AHIMA that help you in your professional practice.
-
Advertise a seminar or event sponsored by
a component state association, CoP, or AHIMA.
-
Post a brief biography of yourself to
share with other members. Select the “My CoP Bio”
link at the top of your Personal Page and click “Edit
Bio” to post your biography.
Things You Can Not Do in the CoP
-
Solicit a job from others through the CoP
by posting threads or directly e-mailing members.
-
Post a job opportunity for others in a
location other than the Career Assist or solicit other members
to fill a position.
-
Advertise products or services that AHIMA
has not developed. You may advertise through banner
advertisements, classified ads, and the vendor directory.
-
Advertise a seminar that is given by a
private company. Again, this may be promoted in a banner ad or
other advertising channels AHIMA offers.
-
Post your resume or advertise your
services or products through your CoP bio.
To access the CoP, go to
www.ahima.org and select
myAHIMA on the right
side. Enter your AHIMA ID number (seven digit number on your
membership card) and your password.
FORE Provides Information for Year-end Planned Giving
As the end of the year approaches, the Foundation of Research and
Education (FORE) recognizes that many AHIMA members may be
reassessing options that will best serve their overall financial
planning, particularly in these challenging economic times. There
are a number of planned giving options that can be advantageous for
tax purposes while still enabling you to support FORE’s important
mission to advance the HIM profession. With this in mind, FORE is
offering access to free information on popular planned giving and
estate planning topics.
Click here to access a number of e-brochures that can help with
your year-end financial planning. Please visit our
Web page for information on planned giving or other ways to
support FORE.
Get Involved with AHIMA through Elected
Positions
It’s not too early to start considering a nomination for elected
position on the AHIMA Board of Directors, Commission on
Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management
Education, or the Commission on Certification of Health Informatics
and Information Management Professionals. This year we have a new
and convenient online application for you to complete. We invite
everyone who has an interest in volunteering for an AHIMA elected
position to submit an application to serve. The deadline for
elected positions is January 30, 2009. Click
here for more information.
IFHRO Announces 2010 Meeting
The International Federation of Health Records
Organizations (IFHRO) will be holding its 16th congress
November 15-19, 2010, in Milan, Italy. The focus of the
meeting is “Better Information for Better Health.”
Click here for more information.
Study Finds Location Can Affect Safety, Care
for Chronically Ill
A recent survey published in Health Affairs
studied chronically ill adults in Australia, Canada, France,
Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the
United States. The results found major differences among countries
in terms of access, safety, and care efficiency. An abstract of the
article is available
here.
Joint Commission Report Recommends Changes
for the Hospital of the Future
Last week the Joint Commission released a white paper, “Health Care
at the Crossroads: Guiding Principles for the Development of the
Hospital of the Future” outlining steps hospitals can take to meet
the demands of the future. The report recommends action in five
areas: economics, technology, patient care, staffing, and hospital
design. The complete document is available
here.
HL7 Announces New CDA Implementation Guides
Health Level Seven (HL7) recently approved four
new implementation guides for clinical document architecture (CDA).
The CDA Implementation Guide Personal Healthcare Monitoring reports
are available
here.
ANSI Develops Health IT Work Group
The American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) has developed a new work group to promote convergence within
the global clinical research and healthcare arenas. The newly formed
EHR Clinical Research Value Case work group will identify priorities
for the harmonization of the technical standards that are necessary
to ensure the interoperability of electronic health records and
clinical research applications.
Click here for more information.
Report Outlines Actions to Cut Healthcare
Waste
The National Priorities Partnership recently
released a report, “National Priorities and Goals,” which outlines
six priorities that target healthcare reform in ways that will
eliminate waste, harm, and disparities. The report is designed to be
an action agenda to transform healthcare by better investing
resources to improve patient care and outcomes. The complete report
is available
here.
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