ADVANCE Perspective: HIM : politics

Mammography and the Right to Choose

Lisa Algeo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:59:00 GMT

(Editor's note: This is a guest blog written by Valerie M. Chapman, RN, MSN, a pediatric nurse for 25 years. She is a 3-year breast cancer survivor and lives in Medford, NJ, with her husband and two children.) I am a wife, a mother of two awesome kids,...(read more)

What Makes You Tick? Part 2

Cheryl McEvoy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:47:00 GMT

The ADVANCE team likes to be inquisitive (it's part of our job, ya know). Sure, we've met you at conferences, chatted you up on the phone, but we want to know what really goes on in that head of yours. Thus, we introduced "What Makes HIM Professionals...(read more)

(Mis)information Overload

Lisa Algeo — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:27:00 GMT

(Editor's note: The following is a guest blog from Mark McGraw, staffer on ADVANCE for Health Information Executives ) Earlier this week, Bob Mitchell, our managing editor here at ADVANCE , posted a blog chastising the behavior of some overzealous attendees...(read more)

Health Care Reform: What Women Need

Lisa Algeo — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:50:00 GMT

Guest commentary by Sabrina Corlette, director of health policy programs for the National Partnership for Women & Families In the halls of Congress, in the media, in the coffee shops and restaurants of Washington, D.C. -- health care reform is dominating...(read more)

Breaking Out of the PAC

Cheryl McEvoy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:27:00 GMT

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)

Not Exactly a Ringing Endorsement for EHRs

Lynn Jusinski — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:31:00 GMT

An emergency department (ED) in a facility in Western Sydney, Australia, banned the use of its EHR, going back to paper and pen, after struggling with downtime on the system. While a North South Wales (NSW) opposition health spokeswoman claimed that government...(read more)

New National Coordinator for HIT Named

Lynn Jusinski — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:49:00 GMT

David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, is the Obama administration's pick as the new National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. According to a Department of Health and Human Service press release , Dr. Blumenthal has his work cut out for him. "Dr. Blumenthal...(read more)

A Rally Cry for Reform

Cheryl McEvoy — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Alas, the most coverage I caught of yesterday's health care summit was a poor attempt to read the closed captioning on CNN while pedaling away at the gym. So I was eager to get into work this morning and read up on what went down.

Well, there weren't any ground-breaking revelations. Health care costs are strangling the economy, the number of uninsured is rising and the government can't keep sitting on its hands-this we know. But the summit wasn't intended to unveil a gleaming, radical new program that would solve the nation's health care problems. Instead, it was more a kick-off to the search for solutions. A health care pep rally, if you will.

Much like my fond memories of high school rallies, the summit fostered unity among otherwise contentious cliques. According to a number of reports, the atmosphere was much more positive than it was during the Clinton administration, when many lawmakers felt slighted after a reform plan was drafted behind closed doors. This time around, Obama is taking steps to air grievances, suggestions and policy decisions-not just to Congress, but often to the cameras, too.

In addition to congressmen, lobbyists and other health care stakeholders, several ordinary citizens were among the 150 attendees at the summit. The group helped open the summit by delivering a report to Obama highlighting the results of 3,000 community discussions held last December. More than 30,000 citizens participated in the open forums, which Obama called for to get a thorough read on the public's thoughts about health care. It's another effort on the part of the new administration to bring transparency to government and keep the public informed--well, those who care to be informed, at least.

Despite the rah-rah for reform, Obama was straightforward about the challenges. He called the budget plan a "down payment" on reform, and admitted the changes made now may not yield big league benefits for 20 years.

Nevertheless--cue motivational music--Obama said the time to act is now. America has been trying to reform health care since Teddy Roosevelt was in office, he noted, and there's always been an excuse for why it wasn't the right time. Despite the current economic crisis, Obama urged policymakers to move forward with reform and continue the momentum the administration has already built in the last 2 months. In fact, he vowed to go against anyone who stands in the way. While the summit was an amicable gathering, he'll likely have a number of adversaries lining up at his locker.

[Want to find out what community members in your state had to say about health care? Read a sample and download the full report at www.healthreform.gov.]

Abortion Records Go on Long, Strange Trip

Lynn Jusinski — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:05:00 GMT

When patient records of women receiving abortions made their way from the Sedgwick County, KS, court to the Johnson County, KS, district attorney's office and then probably on to somewhere in Virginia and then back to Johnson County, KS, that's an issue worth considering, according to a lawyer for Wichita abortion provider George Tiller.

Tiller faces 19 misdemeanor charges for violating the state's late-term abortion law. Phill Kline, former attorney general and anti-abortion Republican, started scrutinizing abortion clinics during his 2003-07 tenure as Kansas attorney general. After losing a re-election bid, Kline became Johnson County's district attorney, according to the Associated Press. After losing the Republican primary for that spot, he took a position as a visiting law professor in Lynchburg, VA.

Here's where the medical records come in (whew!). A box was sent from Sedgwick County to the Johnson County DA. It was then forwarded on without being opened to Kline's new address in Virginia, The Wichita Eagle reported.

But the address was insufficient. Kline never received the box, which included copies of the medical records of women who received abortions as well as state reports of abortions, notes about the investigation and prosecution of Tiller and an activist group document, according to the AP.

Instead, the box headed back to the Johnson County DA's office, where the records were locked away. Tiller's attorney used the traveling records as part of a plea to dismiss the charges against Tiller, who heads to trial in March. "Tiller's lawyers have argued that Kline's conduct in investigating the doctor was so outrageous that the resulting charges against him should be dismissed," The Wichita Eagle wrote.

In the end, the box of records mailed halfway across the United States shouldn't affect the case, the Kansas attorney general's office said Friday. The prosecutor said the mailing wouldn't harm the case against Tiller. "The mailing of this package is at its best an innocent act that means nothing," Prosecutor Barry Disney said in a pleading. "At its worst, it is the act of a private citizen whose conduct is not binding upon the office of the attorney general."

AAPC Pleased With ICD-10 Implementation Date

Lynn Jusinski — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:39:00 GMT

The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) scored a victory yesterday when it was announced that ICD-10 implementation would be pushed back from 2011 to 2013.

AAPC took an opposing view to that of the American Health Information Management Association, which advocated for an implementation sooner rather than later. AAPC made efforts to push back the proposed implementation date, and the Final Rule for adoption for ICD-10 does just that.

In a press release, AAPC thanked members for submitting comments on the proposed rule and reasserted its steadfast claim that 2011 is just too soon for ICD-10 implementation. "In the face of opposition from other coding organizations, the AAPC stood firm in its belief that a delay was necessary and in fact would reduce the overall cost of implementation," the press release reads. "The delay of 2 years is a victory for all providers, payers and coders."

AAPC also shunned ideas that coders need to begin training now, citing that 3 to 4 years is too long of a span for coders to retain ICD-10 training. "There are other organizations, coder credentialing and otherwise, that are attempting to get everyone to panic and jump quickly into training," the academy said. "We reiterate that it would be a mistake for any coder to jump into training immediately."

The academy is also devising plans to handle the ICD-10 implementation, and noted that eight regional conferences focused solely on ICD-10 will be held by AAPC in 2013. AAPC will also release an overall plan on handling the implementation, and said that would be out soon.

ICD-10 Final Rule Issued; Implementation Slated for 2013

Lynn Jusinski — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:22:00 GMT

The eagerly awaited Final Rules for adoption of ICD-10 will be published in the next few days, and the implementation date has been bumped from 2011 to 2013.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) released a brief statement today applauding the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on approving the Final Rules for adoption of ICD-10.

AHIMA did express unhappiness about the compliance deadline being extended to Oct. 1, 2013, as opposed to Oct. 1, 2011. "This further extension means more years without the data needed to make intelligent data-driven decisions related to all aspects of health care," AHIMA CEO Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, CAE, FAHIMA said in the statement. "Nonetheless, this extra time gives the industry no excuse for an adequate implementation and compliance. This extra time should be used wisely and the industry needs to start now and not wait."

Kloss also noted that the transition process won't be an easy one, but noted all of the improvements that will come in health information with the adoption of the new code sets. The organization's CEO also said it's working with HHS to help make the transition smooth. Kloss also called on HIT vendors to begin working on the development of new software for the switch to ICD-10.

You can read the final rules here. The final rule will be effective 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register. According to AHIMA's Web site, "Actual posting of the final rules is expected in the Federal Register in the next few days. The 60-day delay in the effective dates come as a requirement of the original HIPAA regulations and were set, to allow Congress a chance to review the rules. AHIMA will publish an in-depth analysis of the final rules in the coming weeks."

ADVANCE just published an in-depth article on ICD-10 implementation, looking at the myths and realities and offering up tips on how to best prepare. You can also view the article in our digital edition.

Invited, but Unexpected

Cheryl McEvoy — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Obama's transition team has extended an open invitation to all Americans to participate in community discussions about health care reform over the next 2 weeks. It's a chance for the average citizen to air grievances and offer solutions to improve the health system, which-if all goes as planned-will be reported back to the President-elect.

But it looks like health care stakeholders are all too eager to get in on ground-level reform. According to reports, insurance plans, drug companies and medical associations are urging doctors, representatives and patients to attend community meetings. Some are reportedly hosting discussions, which has raised concern that the voice of the people will quickly be drowned out by soapbox dribblings and padded patient testimonials by those who already have a hand in the health care cookie jar.

In the spirit of diplomacy, or to avoid giving a public kiss-off to industry bigwigs, Obama's transition team is welcoming stakeholder attendance at meetings-occupations aside, they are community members and health care consumers, after all. If meetings are conducted as intended, there should be no problem; informed and inquisitive attendees will generate lively discussion about the current state of health care and how to get it on track to improvement. In fact, the open forums may benefit from the inside knowledge stakeholders have of the industry-the average citizen may even leave with a better understanding of why America's health care system is so darn hard to fix.

The problem, however, is that any stakeholders who attend the meetings need not identify their health care-related affiliations. So that dude arguing against lower pharmaceutical costs may be a rep from Pfizer, and while you value his opinion as a concerned neighbor, his view may be skewed by employee allegiance-unbeknownst to you, of course. I consider it a "wolf wearing a sheepskin" situation; if stakeholders want in on the discussion, no problem-just don't pretend to be an ordinary member of the flock. If community members want to be clueless, they can pull the wool over their own eyes.

Polls, Perks and Prosecution?

Cheryl McEvoy — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:10:00 GMT

Whether you’ve been getting your political information from a news network, “Saturday Night Live” skits or right here on the ADVANCE Web site, we hope you exercise your right to vote today. And if the deluge of media coverage about the presidential election wasn’t enough to send you to the poll booth, a few companies are offering some additional incentives to get off the couch and vote. Krispy Kreme, for one, is handing out free fried confections--star-shaped, glazed and bedazzled in red and blue sprinkles, no less.

As a fan of freebies, I plan to hit up my local Ben and Jerry’s for a complimentary scoop after casting my vote. Then, since it’s not exactly ice cream weather (although who needs fair skies to indulge in a cup of Half-Baked frozen yogurt?), I’ll warm up with some fresh brewed coffee from Starbucks, where they’re footing the bill.

Imagine my astonishment, then, when I came across this article in the Christian Science Monitor. As it turns out, it is a felony to give or receive gifts for voting in an election.

This promptly put a damper on my post-poll booth plans. I’ve blogged about privacy breaches and cover ups--in fact, I was just reading up about the continuing saga at UCLA, where a grand total of 1,041 patient records were “improperly accessed” by employees, when I spotted the story on freebie felonies. Would I join the ranks of those law breakers for accepting a comp cup of Joe?

As surprising as it may be, accepting a drink, doughnut or dairy product for voting is technically a violation of law. Thankfully, quick-witted execs removed the “I voted” stipulation from their giveaways, so now I can pick up my complimentary treat of choice for simply walking through the franchise door--no voting required. But rest assured: I’ll be taking my guilt-free mind (and cuff-free wrists) to the polls on my own accord.

What's On the West Coast

Cheryl McEvoy — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:36:00 GMT

Before I wind my watch to Pacific Time, I thought I'd scan health care headlines from the West Coast. In California, the Governator just vetoed a legislative bill 2 years in the making that would have required medical facilities to inform patients of their medical retention policies.

Alan Boinus, a Laguna Beach resident, has been driving the bill through government ever since his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time and found out that medical records from her previous diagnosis had been destroyed. According to the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, details from those records may have been helpful in determining a treatment course for her second diagnosis.

Following an unprecedented delay in passing the state budget, Gov. Schwarzenegger has only passed bills deemed to be of "highest priority." According to the article, while Boinus' bill did not make the cut, a staffer informed him that it would likely be supported in the future.

As someone who hates deleting old e-mails (hey, you never know when that book someone happened to mention might come in handy for research), I couldn't fathom destroying medical documents--especially ones containing information relating to a life-threatening disease. But then again, I'm not exactly an example of responsible record-keeping; as a recent grad, my medical history is dispersed between my hometown doctor, the university's student health center and, as recently as yesterday, a new physician near the ADVANCE office. So while my records are in safe hands and probably have a good 10 years of non-activity before they're in danger of hitting the shredder, I'm a long way from the complete documentation that would ensure the best patient care.

It seems like this would be another case for EHR: just upload the information from any facility and--presto!--complete and permanent documentation at your fingertips. But even computer systems have their storage limits, so it's likely that electronic records won't last forever. As documentation continues its transition into cyberspace and patients assume greater responsibility for personal health information, keeping the average citizen up-to-date on issues--including retention policies--just might become a "top priority."