Hospitals got a last-minute reprieve from the MOON notification requirement, which was set to go into effect August 6. Citing the need for additional time to revise the standardized notification form that hospitals will need to use to notify patients about the financial implications of being assigned to observation services, CMS moved back the start date for the requirement in the 2017 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule to "no later than 90 days," after the final version of the form is approved.
For approximately 10 years, HIMB has been gathering data about the HIM profession through its annual salary survey. This survey often gives us a glimpse into the responsibilities of HIM professionals, but focuses primarily on the education, experience, and salary of those in the HIM field.
Time and again, the salary survey reveals that HIM directors and managers are wearing many hats and asked to oversee an increasing number of tasks. In an effort to dig a bit deeper into HIM departments, HIMB conducted its first HIM roles and responsibilities survey.
More than half of respondents were HIM directors (26%) or managers (25%), whereas the remaining 49% held other revenue cycle positions. Of the latter group, 50% were coders and 29% were CDI specialists. Responses also came in from transcriptionists, privacy officers, compliance officers, revenue integrity professionals, and consultants.
HIM demographics
The plurality of respondents work in acute care hospitals (55%) and critical access hospitals (17%) or have a corporate position at a multi-system hospital (8%). Other settings represented in the survey include long-term acute care hospitals, psychiatric/behavioral health hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, and physician practices.
Social media is everywhere—even inside the walls of hospitals. Staff may log into personal accounts during lunch breaks, and many organizations maintain official social media accounts; plus, of course, patients and visitors often rely on social media to keep in touch with friends and family. For many, social media is so much a part of their everyday routine that the benefits are almost too obvious to list. Yet the risks—including potential HIPAA violations—are often not as clear, and privacy and security officers need to stay aware of them.
The May 2016 issue of Perspectives outlined 225 hospital requirements from the accreditation manual?nine from the Information Management (IM) chapter and five from the Record of Care, Treatment and Services (RC) chapter?that have been deleted. This initiative is part of the Joint Commission's project REFRESH and improving the survey process.
As OCR's auditors wrap up the final desk audit reports for phase two of the HIPAA audit program, many covered entities (CE) are breathing a little easier. Only 167 CEs were selected for desk audits in July. Audited CEs can expect to wait several months to see the final audit reports, although they will have the opportunity to review a draft version and submit comments that will be attached to the final report.
But phase two is far from over. Business associates (BA) will be selected for desk audits this fall—the first time these entities will be subject to OCR's HIPAA audits. And early next year, OCR will launch comprehensive on-site audits of both CEs and BAs.
