HIM Tasks for 2011
The PCAST report recommendations are just one item on
AHIMA’s 2011 advocacy agenda. This year the association
will also address:
x The draft of value-based purchasing rules and regula-
tions
x The ongoing implementation of ICD-10-CM/PCS
x The need to evaluate and improve documentation and
data collection
x The need to protect healthcare records and healthcare
data wherever they exist
x The need to provide health information as data records
or sets for reporting and patient requests, potentially
within a short time frame
x The need to know the data and their context to extend
privacy protections, as well as identify who had access
to the data and when
x The “merger” and use of clinical and administrative data
for the uses described above and for auditing such as
the RAC audits
HIM professionals understand that health IT is not the
cure-all for these issues. The healthcare industry needs
HIM professionals who can control or govern data and who
understand concepts such as metadata and how organi-
zations will govern data collection, use, and dissemination
within the organization and externally.
Step Forward
This is a momentous time in the healthcare industry’s move
to EHR systems and health information exchange. There are
many opportunities for the HIM profession to step forward
at the national, state, and institutional level.
This month, AHIMA members will come to Washington,
DC, on Hill Day to educate members of Congress on the
profession’s role in ensuring quality health through quality
information. They will raise awareness of the profession’s
value and advocate for federal funding to support a health
information management workforce capable of supporting
the nation’s push for health IT.
On a local level HIM state associations are working to meet
with state Medicaid agencies and other health plans to ensure their states are ready to use ICD-10-CM/PCS. In future
months they also will meet with public health organizations,
quality improvement organizations, health information exchange organizations, and regional extension centers to ensure they are in the ICD- 10 loop and ready to deal with other
data exchange needs and security issues.
In their own organizations, HIM professionals are stepping
forward to ensure their organization is compliant with data
needs as well as meaningful use and quality measurement
reporting. HIM professionals are also addressing the documentation requirements, data integrity issues, and workflows necessary to implement EHRs and health information
exchanges. Whether at the national, local (state), or organizational level, HIM professionals are calling on their education and experience to lend their leadership in this massive
change healthcare is undertaking.
The demands being made on the industry to improve the
quality of health, control costs, and protect patients and
their information from harm will only get louder in the months
to come as the meaningful use program moves to stage 2
and legislators and regulators at the state and federal level
attempt to address these issues and others.
Members can put to use AHIMA’s many resources, including the Web site, Body of Knowledge, Communities of Practice, and their state and local HIM associations. AHIMA’s
Advocacy and Public Policy Web site ( www.ahima.org/ad-vocacy) is a great starting place for legislative news, official
AHIMA commentary, AHIMA’s advocacy agenda, and help
in identifying and contacting state representatives. ¢
Dan Rode ( dan.rode@ahima.org) is AHIMA’s vice president of policy and
government relations.
For a report on AHIMA Hill Day, look for upcoming coverage in
the Advantage newsletter and Advantage e-Alert e-mail.
