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The Urgency to Clean Data in Patient Registrations
Systems Fueled By Impending Implementations of Electronic
Health Records
"The summer of 2003 will surely be known as the turning
point in the evolution of electronic health records
in the United States," says, Leslie Ann Fox, CEO and
President of Care Communications, Inc. "Even with an
influx of capital to accelerate the implementation process,
healthcare executives face challenges. One of the first
challenges that many of our clients have is to assure
the accuracy of the patient identifiers in existing
patient registration systems. Cleaning databases of
duplicate medical record numbers is a common practice
when health care providers upgrade or introduce new
information systems. Accurate patient identifiers are
crucial to assure that every individual's medical record
is complete and accessible to authorized users."
Read
more about events fueling the implementation of
EHR projects. |
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Hackensack's e-HIM Implementation and Model for
Change
The new sense of urgency created by HHS this summer for
hospitals to move rapidly toward implementing electronic
health records (EHRs) will be quickly followed by the
need for HIM departments to redesign processes for electronic
Health Information Management (e-HIM). Effective change
management strategies will be a high priority for HIM
directors. Leslie Fox and Patty Thierry of Care Communications,
Inc. recently talked to Barbara Seigel, MS, RHIT,
about her model for change. Barbara is the director
of Health Information at Hackensack University Medical
Center and President of AHIMA. During that
conversation, Barbara indicated that she is in favor
of an incremental approach to e-HIM. "Changing incrementally
helps people adjust to how they will be working differently
in the future." To access this conversation and learn
more about Hackensack's incremental approach to eHIM
and change model, please see Moving Incrementally toward E-HIM. |
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Free Training Tools for HIPAA Privacy and Security
Both the privacy and security rules require training
for all members of the work force. The privacy rule
requires training in policies and procedures related
to protected Health Information. The security rule requires
covered entities to implement a security awareness and
training program.
But what is an awareness program? According to Gwen
Hughes, RHIA, CHP, "An awareness program is education
aimed at making the subject top of the mind. We make
something top of the mind by repeating it often and
in formats that appeal to different types of learners.
For example, one month, your organization might invite
members of the workforce to a round table luncheon where
each table discusses a breach of information that made
national news, and how a similar breach could be prevented
in their own organization. The next month, the organization
might publish an interesting article in the company
newsletter about establishing secure passwords. The
third month, departments in the organization might compete
for prizes in an electronic quiz or Jeopardy game related
to privacy and security."
To assist our readers in creating a privacy and security
awareness program, we've created a sample training calendar with some ideas for establishing
your own awareness program. And just for fun, we've
also written sample questions and answers to get you
started on developing your own electronic quiz or Jeopardy game. |
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Outsourcing the Transcription Clerk Function
Are you under pressure to further reduce FTE's? Do the
outsourced transcriptionists fail to perform some of
the required look-ups thereby necessitating the function
be performed by a hospital employee?
If so, you might want to consider outsourcing your transcription
clerk position. That's what Sandra Joe, RHIA, Director
of Health Information Services at Provena St. Joseph's Hospital
in Elgin, Illinois did.
According to Sandra Joe, "We contracted with a transcription
vendor to provide transcription clerical services at
the same time we outsourced transcription. The hospital
pays for the clerical service on an hourly basis and
the transcriptionists by the line."
The right demographic interfaces and the procurement
of transcription and transcription clerical functions
from the same vendor has resulted in fewer FTEs at Provena
St. Joseph's. In addition, it may have helped them avoid
the friction other health care providers experience
between outsourced transcriptionists and hospital employed
clerks. Perhaps this strategy will help your organization
as well. It's something to think about. |
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Extension for Collecting Tumor Registry Data Announced
The American College of Surgeons
(ACS) has extended for six months, the abstracting
period in which accredited hospital cancer programs
have to collect new data.
According to Loretta Leal, a certified tumor registrar
with Care Communications, Inc. the American College
of Surgeons started requiring accredited hospital cancer
programs to abstract new data elements by July of 2003.
Because it has been difficult to procure and implement
the needed software, the ACS announced the extension
and made available a form for collecting the new data
until a hospital's software upgrade has been implemented.
For further information, please see Facility Oncology Registry Data Standards (FORDS)
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CARE Surveys Your Point of View
 One of CARE's
core values is creating long-term relationships; with
our readers, clients and collegues. In furthering that
goal, we are running a series of surveys called Viewpoint,
to better understanding your point of view.
Our first survey asks, "What topics would you like us
to cover in upcoming issues?" Please take a moment to
offer your suggestions. |
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Publisher:
Leslie Fox, MA, RHIA
Editor:
Gwen Hughes, RHIA, CHP
Editorial Board:
Sue Danforth, RHIA
Roberta Peters, MS, RHIA
Patty Thierry, MBA, RHIA, CCS
Dianne Willard, MBA, RHIA, CCS-P
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