Hospital offers incentives for identifying incorrect patient status

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

It's no secret that hospitals struggle with assigning the most appropriate status for patients, and this challenge is compounded by CMS' frequent changes to its regulations and guidance. To combat incorrect patient status assignments, one hospital has developed a system that rewards employees for speaking up when they suspect a patient's status is incorrect.

30th anniversary celebration: Leadership lesson

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

So many people struggle early in their careers with finding a perfect fit for their talents and passion. My story is exactly the opposite. My entire family is in healthcare, so I chose my career quite naturally. Though I had a bit of a circuitous route into my final landing place, I cannot say I'm surprised to have landed here.

PSI 90's transformation into the Patient Safety and Adverse Events Composite

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

Reconciliation is a noun meaning "the process of finding a way to make two different ideas, facts, etc. exist or be true at the same time." In the world of clinical documentation improvement (CDI), "reconciliation" typically refers to diagnosis-related group (DRG) reconciliation, which is the process of adjusting DRGs when those assigned by the CDI specialist do not match those assigned by the coder.

Understanding clinical documentation reconciliation

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

Reconciliation is a noun meaning "the process of finding a way to make two different ideas, facts, etc. exist or be true at the same time." In the world of clinical documentation improvement (CDI), "reconciliation" typically refers to diagnosis-related group (DRG) reconciliation, which is the process of adjusting DRGs when those assigned by the CDI specialist do not match those assigned by the coder.

HIPAA Q&A: Scheduling and confirming appointments

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

Q: Can I leave a patient a voicemail about an MRI procedure, including the time and date? What should I do if someone else at the patient's home answers the phone? How much info can I leave with the other person, and how can I verify that person's identity and relation to the patient?

Q&A: Compliance with the NOTICE Act and MOON

August 1, 2016
HIM Briefings

Observation services are an ongoing point of confusion for hospitals and patients, many of whom have become fearful of out-of-pocket costs and SNF coverage eligibility associated with outpatient observation services. Developing a workflow to comply with the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility (NOTICE) Act and the Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice (MOON) is essential and is intended to help hospitals ease patients' concerns by clearing up the implications of observation.