Health Information Management

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Keep up to date with weekly advice on issues such as coding and reimbursement, medical record documentation, Joint Commission IM standards, and more.

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Business associates could pay for breaches
Business associates can be directly liable for a breach of unsecured protected health information...
Q&A: EHR audit log retention
Q. We use numeric patient account numbers that cannot be tied back to a patient except by a...
Use PEPPER reports to stay on top of common coding errors
HIM directors can evaluate their hospital’s potential risk for overcoding and unnecessary...
Brush up on sequencing as RAC complex reviews get under way
As RACs begin to roll out complex reviews and request medical record documentation, compliant...
Coming soon in Medical Records Briefing
In the March issue of MRB, you’ll find the following articles, and more! EHR beat...

Survey shows RAC activity is on the rise
Nearly 20% of healthcare providers have already received Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC...
Q&A: EHR audit log retention
Q. Does any regulation define the retention period for EHR or electronic medical record audit logs?
Tips to help ensure effective EHR implementation
Just getting started with your transition to an EHR? Consider tips from experts in the field...
Find capital now, gain stimulus funds later
Healthcare providers still have time to implement EHRs before they start losing out on federal...

New Joint Commission survey process takes into account hospitals’ time demands
Relief will come to facilities waiting for their unannounced survey by The Joint Commission...
Q&A: Querying for principal diagnosis
Q: Is querying a physician for the principal diagnosis appropriate? For example, is this query...
Integrate identity theft into staff member training
Educate your patients about playing an active role in fighting medical identity theft, make your...
Coding corner: Cope with confusing Medicare consultation code payment changes
The start of the new year typically ushers in a multitude of code changes. But for 2010, Medicare...

RAC posts dozens of new issues for under- and overpayment DRG-validation complex review
In recent weeks, HealthDataInsights (HDI) has added dozens of new issues to its CMS-approved list...
Q&A: HIPAA-compliant fundraising
Q: A large specialty medical group with a nonprofit research foundation allows the foundation to...
Use PEPPER reports to stay on top of common coding errors
CMS has once again contracted with the TMF Health Quality Institute to release Program for...
Know when to report uncertain diagnoses
Coders may often wish they could read physicians’ minds when clinical documentation is...

AHA offers comments on Congress healthcare reform bills
The American Hospital Association (AHA) offered comments and suggestions on the Senate and House...
Q&A: Qualifying for the EHR incentive program under Medicare and Medicaid
Q: Can eligible hospitals qualify for payments from both the Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive...
Renal failure coding tips
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 26 million Americans, according to the National Kidney...
Hybrid is a healthy state for vegetables, but not for an EHR
Throughout the past five years, I have written many articles on topics related to the transitioning...

HHS announces SHARP health IT program, funding
HHS is making $60 million available to support the development of Strategic Health IT Advanced...
Q&A: Coding for influenza type A
Q: How should we code a diagnosis of influenza type A? Should we report ICD-9-CM code 487.1?
Tip: Assess privacy vulnerabilities for social networking sites
Trendy social networking sites such as Facebook, TwitterTM, MySpaceTM, and blogs pose enough of a...
Manage information beyond the EHR
HIM professionals should no longer think of a record as just a paper form. Records now include...