Ask the Expert

Q: What is a denial avoidance program and how does it differ from a denials management program?

Q: Our coding team is currently debating how to report acute tubular necrosis (ATN) in ICD-10-CM for a patient after a renal transplant. Can you provide any guidance?

Q: I work at the front desk at a clinic. My neighbor is one of our patients, and recently he asked if I could see when some test results would be available. Since I already had access to his records, is it a HIPAA violation to fulfill his request?

Q: Do you have any advice on how to collaborate across an organization to improve care for a specific patient population?

Q: What is a patient's financial responsibility under Medicare Part B benefits?

Q: Is there a requirement that OB nurses (or other nurses) must document at least every hour while a patient is in outpatient status?

Q: If we hire temporary nursing staff through a staffing agency, do they need to complete our facility’s HIPAA training, or can we consider the training the agency provides sufficient?

Q: What can a case manager do to help a patient with a strong religious background cope with a newly diagnosed life-altering illness?

Our experts answer questions about HIM's role in edit management, reporting infusions with no documented stop time, and more.

This month's Q&A answers readers' questions about identification requirements, out-of-work information disclosure, and PHI and record retention