AHIMA News

Security, Privacy Top of Mind at AHIMA

By Heather Hogstrom

The recently concluded AHIMA Convention and Exhibit, held in Los Angeles, offered a wide variety of education to inform and inspire attendees. Topics ranged from documenting to meet the needs of the LGBT patient population and engaging consumers with patient portals to developing a coding education trainee program and maintaining patient privacy and security in the wake of a tragedy.

In light of recent events, one session in particular stood out: “HIM Response to an Active Shooter Incident” by Sally Lucci, RHIA, CCA, program director for the health informatics and information management program at West Virginia University. Lucci was the HIM director at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC in 2012 when a shooter entered the building, killing one person and injuring seven others. While the incident was over in six minutes, she and more than 20 others hid in her small office for hours.

Lucci recounted how one dedicated employee was transporting a cart of medical records when he saw the shooter, and took off running—with the cart—to the hospital across the street where he made sure the records would be secure. In another example of commitment to security, when damage to a door prevented records from being locked up, a guard stood watch all night.

Following the incident, HIM had to handle information requests from leadership and news crews, create paper copies of records for law enforcement and legal, block EHR access to prevent breaches, and educate staff on respecting privacy. While breaches often occur for the wrong reasons, in this type of situation HIM can expect breaches caused by concerned employees who are doing it for the “right” reasons. Lucci suggests organizations use the AHIMA Code of Ethics to establish policy guidelines that protect health information confidentiality.

In addition to caring for the records, HIM professionals need to care for themselves. They may require psychological first aid to address stress reactions such as being worried, agitated, easily startled, or unable to focus; having flashbacks, angry outbursts, or difficulty sleeping; and avoiding certain people, places, or situations.

To help emotionally traumatized employees as they adjust to a new normal, Lucci recommends listening, giving realistic assurance, and being kind, calm, and compassionate, as well as taking care of yourself.

“Effects of trauma on a person include anxiety as well as difficulty in concentrating and making decisions, which is why it’s important to provide emotional support to coworkers and to have release of medical information policies and procedures in place for all situations before they happen,” she said.

How often do shootings occur in health care? According to Lucci, there were nine of these events per year in 2000 to 2005 and 16.7 per year in 2006 to 2011. HIM departments need to be prepared with policies and procedures that cover all situations, including how to respond to active shooter incidents.

— Heather Hogstrom is an editorial assistant at For The Record.