2014 Article Archive
For The Record helps your business grow by offering you the opportunity to purchase reprints of articles or departments found in the magazine, or link to the article from your Web site. Share them with clients, colleagues, patients, and students. They're also great for your sales force and tradeshow handouts! Simply select an article below and e-mail us or call 877-652-5295 for more details.
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007
December 2014
features
Hurry Up and Wait
The task of reinvigorating coding departments to prepare for ICD-10 is complicated by the continuing skepticism surrounding the actual implementation of the new codes.
Where's HIT Headed in 2015?
Industry leaders discuss potential developments on the HIT landscape.
MTSOs Gear for OCR Audits
As business associates, transcription organizations may be targeted in the next round of HIPAA scrutiny.
Into the Abyss
The destructive properties of a data breach can be felt in virtually every aspect of the organization.
departments
Editor's Note
Chart Conundrums
Questionable documentation and coding practices can lead to important health care data being lost.
Industry Perspectives
A New York State data coordinator says a lack of proper EHR functionality may generate faulty birth certificate data.
Evolving Education
Rush University Medical Center has implemented a training program designed to find IT positions for veterans.
Coding Corner
Coding managers faced with staff members failing to meet productivity standards have several options to tackle the issue.
Wireless World
To remain HIPAA compliant, health care organizations may want to avoid consumer wireless networks.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care's facts and figures.
November 2014
features
Has MU Gone Up in Smoke?
The complaints and concerns have been coming fast and furious for the beleaguered incentive program.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
How will HIM departments face the strain of having to deal with more patients requesting their medical record be amended?
Report Analyzes EHR Patient Safety Concerns
Besides flaws in the technology itself, social factors within an organization can contribute to poor results.
The Cost of Doing ROI Business
State legislators and health care organizations find it difficult to agree on what's a fair price for fulfilling medical record requests.
departments
Editor's Note
Inside Informatics
The ONC's 10-year plan for interoperability hopes to bring more and better health information to the masses.
CIO Insider
When it comes to implementing health care technology, the complexities are magnified in children's hospitals.
HIT Happenings
There's an avalanche of available health data, but is it trustworthy enough to improve patient care?
Technology & Software Showcase
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care's facts and figures.
October 2014
features
The Search for HIT Talent
There are plenty of available positions with not enough talent to go around. What’s the industry to do?
Transcription Gaps Pose Problems
Despite industry efforts to address quality assurance, HIM professionals remain concerned about the accuracy of transcribed care documents.
Educating or Infuriating?
Designed to better inform providers, MAC probe and educate audits have nonetheless left many hospitals frustrated.
Voice Command Technology Enters the OR
Today’s state-of-the-art operating room combines electronic recordkeeping with speech recognition concepts.
departments
Editor’s Note
Chart Conundrums
The author of For The Record’s first cover story reflects on how documentation has changed yet stayed the same over the past 25 years.
EHR Insider
Editorial advisor Deborah Kohn chronicles the evolution of EHRs.
Industry Perspectives
Contributing editor Sandra Nunn recounts how her career path holds lessons for today’s HIM professionals.
News Briefs
Chilmark Research’s latest report finds rapidly growing interest in analytics for population health, but solutions remain immature.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
September 2014
features
A True Reflection?
As one hospital discovered, insufficient physician documentation can lead to misleading patient safety and quality scores.
Righting RACs
Industry complaints about how RACs go about their business have led to several planned changes.
Strategies for Success in a Value-Based World
Industry experts discuss what it’s going to take for health care organizations to survive in a new environment.
The Reward of HIPAA Risk Assessment
A new tool promises to help small providers, but it may need a bit of fine-tuning.
departments
Editor’s Note
Coding Corner
Health care organizations looking to bolster their clinical documentation improvement programs would be wise to consider involving both nurses and coders.
Auditing Alley
Use internal audits to get a jump on the ICD-10 transition and impress payers.
Transcription Trends
Earlier this year, a data breach in which patient information was exposed on a transcription vendor’s website raised new concerns about security policies.
News Briefs
According to a recent survey, industry experts expect clinical documentation to be a major concern both before and after the introduction of ICD-10.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
August 2014
features
Recruit, Retain, Rejoice
Finding and keeping qualified coders are keys to the success and happiness of HIM departments.
The Friends and Family Plan for Online Records
With patients now able to grant portal access to others, the release of information process has become more complicated.
CAC’s Effect on Accuracy Rates
Several factors play a major role in whether computer-assisted coding proves worthwhile.
The Bottom Line on Telehealth
The technology offers many benefits, but measuring its financial success isn’t always straightforward.
departments
Editor’s Note
ICD-10 Update
Don’t sit back and revel in the extra time Congress so awkwardly granted in April. Instead, take these five steps to keep the ICD-10 conversion moving forward.
EHR Insider
By following these 10 suggestions, health care consultants can ease the stress associated with technology implementations.
Wireless World
A text messaging program helped at-risk pregnant women better manage their care.
Education Resource Guide
Products and Services
Documentation specificity is the goal of a new tool designed to enhance coding.
News Briefs
According to a recent survey, industry experts expect clinical documentation to be a major concern both before and after the introduction of ICD-10.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
July 2014
features
Solid or Shaky?
The transcription industry seems on the verge of extinction—then again, maybe not.
Groundwork Key to Speech Recognition Success
Experts say if you take the extra time to be better prepared and well educated, the technology’s effectiveness is bound to be noticeable.
How Records Management Can Serve Two Masters
The proliferation of EHRs has complicated the creation and maintenance of health records that must satisfy patient care needs while taking into account legal concerns.
Permanent Discharge
By applying HIT tools and correct care management techniques, hospitals can lower costly preventable readmissions.
departments
Editor’s Note
mHealth Update
An Arizona health care organization is using the ubiquitous, powerful smartphone to improve care inside and outside of its facilities.
Evolving Education
HIM graduate school programs are being established to give students a better chance of thriving in today’s health care environment.
Chart Conundrums
Malnutrition documentation can tie a coder’s stomach in knots, but it’s nothing that a heaping helping of advice can’t remedy.
News Briefs
An Accenture survey indicates that patients are willing to table privacy concerns in order to view their medical records online.
Coding and Outsourcing Showcase
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
June 2014
features
The RAC Trifecta of Trouble
Make a list of the most perplexing recovery audit contractor concerns, and these three likely will be on it.
Put a Jolt in Hospital Finances
Is your revenue cycle showing few signs of life? Try recharging the charge capture process, experts say.
Vendors Vent MU Frustrations
The hurdles of the stage 2 criteria are raising the ire of some in the vendor community.
Hooked on PEDs: Performance-Enhanced Departments
In this era of regulatory upheaval, process improvement initiatives take on added significance.
departments
Editor’s Note
ICD-10 Update
A forward-thinking collaborative is helping Massachusetts health care organizations deal with the ICD-10 transition.
Coding Corner
The abolition of the 2014 ICD-10 deadline has left many in the industry wondering whether it’s foolish to believe any future mandates.
CFO Zone
To receive a proper return on investment from HIT, health care providers must analyze its performance in key areas.
News Briefs
Health and Human Services has levied groundbreaking HIPAA fines stemming from stolen laptops.
Financial Services Resource Guide
On the Web
Besides being a website where patients can share their stories, HealClick has designs on becoming a valuable research tool.
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
May 2014
features
Patient Identification in an HIE Environment
The consequences of duplicate records increase as patient data are spread across multiple organizations.
Hospital Schooled
Memorial Hermann Health System has developed an in-house coder training program for recent HIM graduates.
Paper Exit Strategies
Moving paper charts into an electronic record-keeping system can stretch resources and shorten staff attention spans.
What Sepsis Numbers Do and Don’t Tell Us
Recent research identified areas of the country where the condition seems to be prevalent, but could the data be skewed by other factors?
departments
Editor’s Note
Inside Informatics
Federal programs have been hard at work trying to get HIT systems on speaking terms.
Industry Perspectives
Getting clinicians involved in template creation is one way to avoid the pitfalls of copy-and-paste documentation.
HIT Happenings
Data normalization allows organizations to translate health languages into a common tongue.
Coding & RCM Resource Guide
News Briefs
Research indicates that providing electronic access to clinical information across a community may boost care.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
April 2014 
features
Disclosure Management — More Complicated Than Ever
Various federal factors and burgeoning technology have conspired to create logistical complications.
Are Cancer Registrars Ready for ICD-10?
The code set may put a crimp in registry workflows.
And It Shall Be Written
Industry veterans offer advice on what health care organizations must include in transcription vendor contracts.
NLP Shows Off Its Versatility
As natural language processing evolves, the health care industry is beginning to appreciate its range of uses.
departments
Editor’s Note
CFO Zone
Today’s swirling regulatory environment makes corporate compliance a challenge at most health care organizations.
Wireless World
Contrary to some perceptions, mobile health is an equal opportunity technology, serving both the advantaged and the underserved.
EHR Insider
It’s great that EHR adoption rates continue to climb, but it’s time to start thinking about how to make the best use of the data being generated.
CIO Insider
HIT projects can be messy affairs, but there are methods available to keep the madness in check.
News Briefs
EHRs can be a useful tool to help clinicians educate kids and families about weight control.
On the Web
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has added data to its website to better help patients select the appropriate doctor.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
March 2014
features
Prepare for the Worst
HIT systems are vulnerable to Mother Nature’s whims and other unforeseen events, making it imperative for organizations to have a backup plan in place.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
Experts say a narrow approach to data analytics is more likely to produce the desired results.
Inside Job
Internal audits, whether they be coding or HIPAA related, can help providers stay ahead of new regulations.
Security vs. Usability
Patient portals must be mindful of data protection while satisfying user needs.
departments
Editor’s Note
Transcription Trends
Learn how medical transcriptionists are parlaying their skills into roles in clinical documentation improvement.
Coding Corner
Coders contemplating handing in their codebooks come October should reconsider and instead embrace ICD-10.
ICD-10 Showcase Spotlight
News Briefs
Findings from Nuance indicate that physicians prefer real-time queries in the quest for complete and compliant clinical documentation.
Products and Services
An online exchange allows covered entities and business associates to monitor HIPAA compliance and risk management.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
February 2014
features
Warning: Productivity Loss Ahead
An ICD-10 damage protection plan can help health care organizations limit the carnage.
When Dictators Fail
Dictation errors are inevitable, but there are ways to improve the chances of them getting caught.
Data Governance 101
AHIMA’s 2014 curriculum maps pay special attention to the role of data stewards.
Movin’ on Up
Several factors have led to the cloud becoming a popular landing spot for health care data.
departments
Editor’s Note
Evolving Education
Medical transcriptionists leery of their profession’s future may want to explore the idea of becoming a coder.
Wireless World
The health care industry is adopting new best practices for getting major Wi-Fi launches and initiatives off the ground.
EHR Insider
An expert team has created software to determine EHR usability.
On the Web
Don’t underestimate Grandma’s and Grandpa’s desire to use the Internet for health care purposes. Indeed, according to a survey, many seniors seek digital tools to manage their health.
News Brief
Products and Services
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
January 2014
features
Risky Business
Health care organizations that are ignoring or halfheartedly performing a HIPAA risk analysis are walking a dangerous line.
Terms of Engagement
To effectively engage physicians in clinical documentation improvement efforts, several key elements must be present.
Beware of Poor Coding Habits
Experts analyze the circumstances that may lead coders to lapse.
A Better Rollout for Speech Recognition
Tailor your strategy around these eight tips to increase your chances of a successful integration with an EHR.
departments
Editor’s Note
Chart Conundrums
Learn how documentation and coding can affect core measures reporting.
CIO Insider
What challenges lie ahead this year for chief information officers?
HIT Happenings
According to a KLAS report, an alternative computerized physician order entry shows promise as an EMR overlay.
CFO Zone
Learn the differences between range- and code-based approaches to ICD-10 mapping.
News Briefs
An IDC Health Insights survey spotlights physician discontentment with ambulatory EHRs.
Products and Services
A mobile eCapture solution promotes patient engagement.
On the Web
Two separate research projects demonstrate the Internet’s effect on physician selection and patient care.
Datebook
By the Numbers
Get the lowdown on health care’s facts and figures.
1721 Valley Forge Road #486
Valley Forge, PA 19481