As a clinician, you want to know if data being entered into the system is accurate, clean, correct and useful. Data validation often called “validation rules” or “check routines” are built into systems such as EHR systems. These rules check for correctness, meaningfulness, and security of data. For example, the system would automatically disallow or question a user trying to enter eligibility results into the patient’s address field. Validation rules may be automated because the software company uses a data dictionary, or data may be checked by an explicit application program validation logic. To participate in quality reporting, such as meaningful use, PQRI or ePrescribing reimbursement incentive programs, you want…
Month: October 2009
Exploring HIPAA and HITECH Act Definitions: Part 3
From now through November, HIPAA.com is providing a run through of HIPAA transaction & code set, privacy, and security definitions, along with relevant HITECH Act definitions pertaining to breach notification and securing of protected health information. These definitions are key to understanding the referenced HIPAA and HITECH Act enabling regulations that are effective now and that will require compliance by covered entities and business associates now or in the months ahead, as indicated in HIPAA.com’s timeline. Each posting will contain three definitions, with a date reference to the Federal Register and citation to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). We begin the first series of postings with definitions from “Health…
Exploring HIPAA and HITECH Act Definitions: Part 2
From now through November, HIPAA.com is providing a run through of HIPAA transaction & code set, privacy, and security definitions, along with relevant HITECH Act definitions pertaining to breach notification and securing of protected health information. These definitions are key to understanding the referenced HIPAA and HITECH Act enabling regulations that are effective now and that will require compliance by covered entities and business associates now or in the months ahead, as indicated in HIPAA.com’s timeline. Each posting will contain three definitions, with a date reference to the Federal Register and citation to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). We begin the first series of postings with definitions from “Health…
Exploring HIPAA and HITECH Act Definitions: Part 1
From now through November, HIPAA.com is providing a run through of HIPAA transaction & code set, privacy, and security definitions, along with relevant HITECH Act definitions pertaining to breach notification and securing of protected health information. These definitions are key to understanding the referenced HIPAA and HITECH Act enabling regulations that are effective now and that will require compliance by covered entities and business associates now or in the months ahead, as indicated in HIPAA.com’s timeline. Each posting will contain three definitions, with a date reference to the Federal Register and citation to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). We begin the first series of postings with definitions from “Health…
Vendors and Physicians Partners in Meaningful Use?
The secure exchange of health information is dependent on both the practice and EHR vendors facilitating the secure electronic transactions and extracting data for reporting quality measures. Even early adopters of EHR systems must ask vendors if they will be ready for meaningful use reporting. The vendor’s response will impact cost, implementation timeline, workflow processes, reporting, and patient safety. A sampling of questions to ask include: Of my current health information exchange partners (labs, hospitals, pharmacies, imaging centers) where have you already built bi-direction interfaces with your EHR system? Does your system send e-prescribing alerts based on the content in the patient’s medication history? Does your system identify whether the…
Word of the Day: Pay-for-Performance
Pay-for-Performance: The use of incentives to encourage and reinforce the delivery of evidence-based practices in the health care system transformation that promote better outcomes as efficiently as possible.
Word of the Day: Interoperability
Interoperability: The ability to exchange and use information (usually in a large heterogeneous network made up of several local area networks). Interoperable systems reflect the ability of software and hardware on multiple machines from multiple vendors to communicate.
Word of the Day: Electronic Media
Electronic Media: Electronic storage media including memory devices in computers (hard drives) and any removable/transportable digital memory medium, such as magnetic tape or disk, optical disk, or digital memory card; or transmission media used to exchange information already in electronic storage media. Transmission media include the Internet (wide open), extranet (using Internet technology to link a business with information accessible only to collaborating parties), leased lines, dial-up lines, private networks, and the physical movement of removable/transportable electronic storage media. Written communications sent via facsimile (not from one computer to another) and verbal information exchanges are not considered electronic media.
Word of the Day: Data Authentication
Data Authentication: The corroboration that data have not been altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner.