June 2009 - Posts

Retail Clinic Check-up
June 25, 2009 3:30 PM by Lynn Jusinski

I'm what you might call "doctor phobic." I haven't had a check up since 2001, and that was required to get into college. After high school, I moved to the Philadelphia suburbs from quiet nook upstate in a rural area lovingly referred to as the "Polish Read More...

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Doctors Face Patient Scrutiny
June 24, 2009 1:42 PM by Cheryl McEvoy

For the past few weeks, I've had Michael Jackson's "Somebody's Watching Me" stuck in my head. I blame Geico for making it the theme song for its ubiquitous ad campaign. (Seriously, that bug-eyed bundle of money is everywhere .) But today, the ditty popped Read More...

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What Makes You Tick?
June 19, 2009 1:22 PM by Lynn Jusinski

I was tickled that 500 of you took the time to fill out our fun, brief survey on "What Makes HIM Professionals Tick?" A second installment is currently posted on our Web site , and I hope the response is as good for that one. Thanks to everyone who took Read More...

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CCHIT Opens Up
June 17, 2009 10:47 AM by Cheryl McEvoy

During an online "Town Call" yesterday, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) revealed its new strategy for certifying EHRs that meet "meaningful use" requirements under the stimulus act. Speaking to open source developers Read More...

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HHS Defines "Meaningful Use"
June 16, 2009 2:59 PM by Cheryl McEvoy

The $19 billion question has been answered--sort of. Earlier today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced its preliminary definition of "meaningful use," a requirement providers must meet to earn EHR incentive payments. Released by the Read More...

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Malicious Use of PHI Lands Woman in Jail
June 11, 2009 3:02 PM by Lynn Jusinski

In a strange case of Internet harassment involving personal health information (PHI), a woman finds herself facing a year in prison for what a judge called "egregious" behavior, according to the Honolulu Advertiser. Rhonda Wong-Fernandez was sent immediately Read More...

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Can You Belize It?
June 9, 2009 9:09 AM by Cheryl McEvoy

The industry has been touting EHR incentives in the stimulus plan as the way to put health care back on track. But let's be honest, the electronic remedy is going to be a tough pill to swallow. Privacy concerns abound, budgets are stretching thin and Read More...

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Breaking Out of the PAC
June 5, 2009 9:27 AM by Cheryl McEvoy

Medicare rules are tough to follow, even for professionals immersed in the world of coding, compliance and reimbursement. But if providers are struggling to monitor changes and understand the if-thens of Medicare policy, imagine the brain cramps lawmakers Read More...

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Lots of Laughs at NCRA
June 3, 2009 4:59 PM by Lynn Jusinski

The last sessions are winding down at NCRA in New Orleans, and today was filled with learning and laughs. In the morning, attendees listened to sessions on advocacy, the importance of CTRs and a plethora of advanced abstracting topics culled from recent Read More...

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Registry Down Under
June 2, 2009 12:48 PM by Lynn Jusinski

Today's sessions opened up with a view of the past and present in clinical staging. Donna Gress, RHIT, CTR, technical specialist with the American Joint Committee on Cancer, touted the value of clinical staging, went through the T, N and M category assessments Read More...

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NCRA First Day
June 1, 2009 4:58 PM by Lynn Jusinski

In the heat of New Orleans, registrars gather to garner CE credits, network and take in numerous educational sessions. This morning, registrars listened to an enthusiastic presentation by keynote speaker Millicent St. Clair, who encouraged registrars Read More...

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