Implementing a patient portal is at the top of the list for many organizations working toward attestation for Stage 2 Meaningful Use of EHRs under CMS' EHR Incentive Programs.
My column in the April MRB addressed unexpected disruptions for HIM managers and the importance of backup plans?quite timely because the ICD-10 implementation delay was announced just before the newsletter was published.
Provider-based clinics and departments are increasingly common at hospitals, but the rules for provider-based qualification and billing can often be confusing.
Better late than never. This is what some healthcare professionals are likely saying about the delayed release of the fiscal year (FY) 2014 OIG Work Plan, which was due to be released in fall 2013 but did not make an appearance until January 2014.
The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 was recently signed into law, and what might seem on the surface like a straightforward attempt to prevent cuts to Medicare physician rates is actually more than meets the eye.
HIM professionals must be flexible and willing to adapt to the ever-changing healthcare environment. Most people in HIM departments across the nation are focused on the emergence of EHR technology and what will happen with ICD-10, and rightly so. But the key to developing the policies and procedures that will help make any HIM initiative successful is health information governance.
As healthcare continues to evolve, addressing the effect changes may have on the healthcare landscape and establishing goals for the future is important.
