HIT Insider: Forums

Looking for advice/feedback on future career goals/plans

Doreen Tartell — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:08:33 GMT

hello! I am a current medical transcription student and LOVING everything about the transcription part but also have plans on going back to college to complete my bachelor's degree. I've been seriously looking into different fields and very interested in Health Information Management (HIM). What is the general feeling for this field for the future? Job prospects? Job Security? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! I do plan on completing med trans training and working doing that as I finish my degree though. Thanks again!

Saving our Health Care and creating a "balanced" health care reform...

Mark Hopp — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:04:49 GMT

I've been a PT Assistant for 14 years, have a BS in Accounting and soon to have a Nursing Degree. I'm very concerned about the idea of a blanket universal health care and want to keep the same programs and improve those already in place...which has never happened. I'm concerned as a practitioner, as a son, as a citizen of this country. I've researched it and realize that Government run health care or even a "Public Option" (which will only lead to a blanket plan) has many undesirable problems and really doesn't give people "effective" access to health care. I am asking people to mail into their senators and congressmen regarding this. I have typed up a letter for you to print, sign, and mail in to them. Here are 2 websites for you to find out their address:

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Do YOU value Your JOB as my representative?

Then Say "NO" to:

1) Competing Government Health Care or Public Option !

2) Socialized Medicine!

And Say "YES" to:

1) Medical Tort Reform to stop frivolous lawsuits and maintain our current system!!!

2) Requiring co-pays on all lawsuit patients to reduce the waste & return honesty to the system!!

3) Implement Hospital Pricing Transparency to create competition and reduce costs!

4) Implement programs nationwide to promote health, reduce our Obesity rate (The highest in the world)!!

5) Give Tax Credits to those that purchase insurance as incentive to purchase it!!!

Normal 0

Obesity has skyrocketed in this country and its killing us both physically and financially. Japan has one of the best health results while spending the least. They have one of the highest percentage of daily smokers and one of the lowest percentages of obesity! We are costing ourselves from eating fatty food and not exercising! We must reduce this first before we waste $trillions on our system. Its not our medical system but our society weight that is the big problem!

We already have Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid! lets work within the programs we already have and make some reform there!!!

Sincerely,

Remote coding

Brendad — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:22:40 GMT

I worked in a Critical Access Hospital for 9 years (which was limited to outpatient coding and only minor surgeries) Due to relocating and chosing not to commute, I quit my job. I woiuld really like to do remote coding. I have taken coding tests for remote companies, but haven't passed the tests. Does anyone have any information that may help me pass the tests as to classes to improve my coding skills or information about companies that are hiring for remote coders?

e-Learning Perks?

Marie DeLisi — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:44:47 GMT

Our facility is looking to switch to an e-learning environment for our software training. Some in the hospital would rather keep the in-person classroom because they like the personal touch. Which do you prefer?

Medical Billing and Coding Mentor...

Susan Jarrell — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:30:52 GMT

Can someone direct me as to how to find a Medical Billing and Coding mentor? I have certifications as CBCS and CCA. I do not have experience on the job as I am a recent graduate and that is a very big stumbling block for me. How do I get my foot in the door? When I apply for the front office position I don't ever get that job and I don't know how to enter. Please give me suggestions or if you would be interested in mentoring me please let me know. Thanks, Susan

Back to Work

Paola — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:30:35 GMT

I have three young boys, I took time off to raise my children, I am not able as of now to go back to work full time, but would like to start getting my feet wet. My husband and I have an impossible schedule to coordinate, so Im looking for odd hours. Anything like from 6pm on, I am willing to work until like 3 am but must be home before my husband leaves at 4am. Any ideas? Also it is now going on my 5th year I am home, I am trained in PICU and NICU, and have been reading up on all my old papers. Should I just jump right back in or do some low key clinic or maybe take some courses? Any input is helpful and appreciated.

Are Online Friends Real?

Frank Irving — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:58:37 GMT

My desk calendar, supplied by storage vendor EMC, carries the theme of information throughout the year via daily notes and quotes. Today's entry, sourced from a September 2007 Guardian article, reads as follows:

"Although the numbers of friends people have on [social networking] sites can be massive, the actual number of close friends is approximately the same in the face-to-face real world," says psychologist Will Reader from Sheffield Hallam University.

His survey of 200 users of social networking sites found that people tend to have around five close friends.

Some 90 percent of the online friends rated as "close" have been met face-to-face, with the remaining 10 percent likely to be friends of close friends, perceived as having many of the mutual friend's attributes and, therefore "low risk."

[Please visit the site to access the poll]

Thinking of Trying FiOS

Frank Irving — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:13:15 GMT

I've heard good things about Verizon's FiOS Internet service, and I'm thinking of giving it a try.

I'm currently using Comcast's cable Internet service. Have not had any major issues with Comcast, but Verizon seems to have a pretty significant speed advantage, if marketing claims are true.

Has anyone tried FiOS? Any special considerations?

Sign of the Times

Frank Irving — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:46:05 GMT

According to a report generated by the SonicWALL e-mail filtering system this morning, we received 316,033 messages across our company in the past 24 hours. Of those, 9,647 were considered "good" (not junk).

That means 97 percent of all messages received went directly into the junk folder.

Emergency Preparedness

Frank Irving — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:45:30 GMT

According to a report released April 30 by The Conference Board, three-quarters of 302 senior corporate executives surveyed in mid-2007 said that an emergency preparedness plan exists in their companies. But there's no widely adopted certification standard for such plans, the survey summary stated.

The analysis was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of an ongoing research project to assess the effectiveness of security in American companies.

The Conference Board report stated, "A 'voluntary' certification process for preparedness was adopted as part of the 2007 homeland security legislation (Public Law 110-53). The choice of standards that would permit certification under the law is currently under review. As this report goes to press, it is expected that several different standards may qualify for certification."

“Currently, the most significant finding is that none of the many standards proposed for certification has attained widespread usage in the private sector,” said Thomas Cavanagh, Senior Research Associate, Global Corporate Citizenship, The Conference Board.

The report added: "The most common standard is the ISO 27001/17799 information security standard, which has been implemented by 23 percent of the surveyed companies. Following close behind, used by 20 percent of companies, is NFPA 1600, which was endorsed as the National Preparedness Standard in 2004 by DHS, the U.S. Congress, the 9/11 Commission, and the American National Standards Institute. Three other kinds of standards have all been implemented by 12 percent of companies."

[Please visit the site to access the poll]

Nurses and Drowsy Driving

Frank Irving — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:59:41 GMT

The HIT Insider Blog entry "Fatigued RNs Worry About Drowsy Driving" asked what nurses can do to avoid drowsy driving. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has a few tips, although some may be difficult or impossible to follow given individual circumstances:

     • Get enough sleep. AASM recommends that adults get seven-to-eight hours of sleep each night in order to maintain good health and optimum performance.
     • Take breaks while driving. If you become drowsy while driving, pull off to a rest area and take a short nap, preferably 15-20 minutes in length.
     • Consume caffeine. Caffeine improves alertness in people who are fatigued.
     • Do not drink alcohol. Alcohol can further impair a person's ability to stay awake and make good decisions. Taking the wheel after having just one glass of alcohol can affect your level of fatigue while driving.
     • Do not drive late at night. Avoid driving after midnight, which is a natural period of sleepiness.

What other practical solutions should be added to the list?

Did You See This at HIMSS08?

Frank Irving — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:24:01 GMT

Böwe Bell + Howell (BBH) came through on its attempt to set an officially recognized Guiness World Record for the longest scanned document.

BBH employees used the company's Trūper 3600 low-volume production scanner to successfully handle a custom-made fetal monitor strip measuring 3,875 feet. (That's nearly three-quarters of a mile).

The uninterrupted scan lasted one hour, 17 minutes and 22 seconds.

Guinness World Records Judge Gareth Deaves was present to confirm that the attempt met the criteria set forth by Guinness World Records, including that the scanned document was a continuous file in one single page and that the original document was made out of paper.

BBH's made the connection to health care by noting that its scanner can handle long, vital medical records, such as fetal monitoring strips and EKG printouts. Users of the scanner can switch between long and regular page modes.

Friday Diversion

Frank Irving — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:52:43 GMT

It's Friday afternoon, so time for a quick diversion. Stop me if you've heard this one...

A guy joins a monastery and takes a vow of silence.

Actually, he's allowed to say two words every seven years.

After the first seven years, the monastery elders bring him in their office and ask for his two words.

"Cold floors," he says.

Seven more years pass.

The elders bring him back in and ask for his two words.

"Bad food," he says.

Seven more years pass.

The elders bring him in for his two words.

"I quit," he says.

"That's fine," the elders respond. "You've done nothing but complain since you got here."

Source: Print advertisement for AIG...laughter can add 8 years to your life.

Worried About the 'R' Word?

Frank Irving — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:38:52 GMT

Should health care organizations and medical practices be worried about consumers unable to pay their bills?

From a broader perspective, should we be concerned that consumers are forgoing care due to payment worries?

Shopping Centers Today (STC) reported that U.S. chain stores recorded their slowest January since 1970, with same-store sales growing 0.5 percent compared to the previous year, according to an index tracked by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Department stores and luxury chains posted the biggest declines in sales growth, at 5.7 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

Wholesale clubs such as Costco posted the only significant increase in sales growth, at 6.3 percent, the STC report stated.

"Gift cards left over from December failed to buoy [January's] sales as they have in previous years. For example, Wal-Mart executives reported that gift card redemptions were below expectations and that customers are holding gift cards longer and using them to buy food and other consumables instead of discretionary purchases," the STC report said.

“With uncertainty about the economy, and the possibility of a recession, consumers have pared their spending,” said Michael P. Niemira, ICSC's chief economist and director of research. “Looking forward to February, we expect much of the same, as U.S economic problems do not seem to be dissipating anytime soon.”

Google Health

Frank Irving — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:06:52 GMT

Has anyone heard rumors -- or facts -- substantiating that Google Health will be formally announced at HIMSS08?

Here's an excerpt from Google VP Adam Bosworth's keynote speech at a national conference sponsored by The Markle Foundation on Dec. 7, 2006:

"We live in a world in which information flows at the speed of light and in which Google can find all the most relevant answers to any query you submit across the entire Web in less than one-third of a second and yet, in general, your physician cannot get lab results from your last specialist without paper and fax. If the information were trivial and irrelevant, this would at least be understandable. It would still be odd in a world in which I can look up effortlessly the local movie schedules or what people think about some cartoon, but it would just be an oddity.

"But this information really matters -- to use the cliche, it can be a matter of life and death. And the right word to describe our inability to put our hands on it is not oddity -- but travesty.

"...Let's put the patients in charge of their health and medical information. Let's build a system which puts the people who are sick in control. For every single medical and health-related event, let's make sure that patients can effortlessly retrieve and share their information in its totality and then use it to ensure they get the best quality of care possible. It is their health. The people who treat, diagnose, test or dispense medications to patients should be required to deliver, instantly, over the Net, at the speed of light, that information to those patients to use as they see fit. If these patients choose to share it with caregivers or health coaches or nursing services, that should be their right."

HIMSS 08 Plans

Frank Irving — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:53:57 GMT

According to figures released by HIMSS Jan. 24, registration numbers for the upcoming conference in Orlando continue to climb, especially for top-level senior executives. Overall registration for the event is currently 17 percent ahead of last year, HIMSS reported.

The conference will take place Feb. 25-28 at the Orange County Convention Center.

HIMSS also said people plan to stay longer at the conference this year: Hotel stays are up by nearly 20 percent and Wednesday night (Feb. 27) reservations are 16 percent higher than in 2007.

Are you planning to spend more time at HIMSS this year than in recent years?

Amusing Manager Quotes

Trish Cassidy — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:46:54 GMT

I just read one of those dreaded anonymous chain e-mails. I don't normally pass along this type of thing, but thought these were somewhat amusing. I can't vouch for their authenticity -- they're supposedly real-life quotes from managers at major U.S. corporations.

"E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business."

"We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees."

"Doing it right is no excuse for not meeting the schedule."

And my personal favorite...

"If I wanted your status report tomorrow, I would have waited until tomorrow to ask for it!"

New Business Laptop

Michelle — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:34:34 GMT

I'm thinking of buying a new laptop for business travel. My current laptop is about 4 years old. What should I look for in terms of "must-have" functionality and components? My budget is $1,500 to $2,000.

Suggestions on asking CEO for more money?

Michelle — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:36:54 GMT

I've been a health care CIO for 10 years now and my organization has only given me minimal raises the past two years. How can I best approach the CEO about asking for more money? Suggestions?