Winter 2023

Editor’s Note: Navigating the Changes
By Kate Jackson
For The Record
Vol. 35 No. 1 P. 4

As always, the new year brings many changes to the HIM field and the way HIM professionals must practice.

Among the most notable changes in 2023 are the new CMS rules for the 2023 Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule. The final rule allows for, among other expansions, improved access to behavioral health, wellness, and whole-person care, including services for substance use, crisis intervention, and other mental health issues. A new monthly payment will permit individuals suffering from chronic pain to receive comprehensive treatment and management services, and changes pertaining to opioid treatment programs will make it easier for patients to obtain needed help. The policies also will increase access to services in rural and underserved areas, and licensed clinical social workers and clinical psychologists, as part of a primary care team, will be able to offer integrated behavioral health care.

As always, we’ll continue to report on the changes and trends in the field to ensure that HIM professionals are prepared to meet evolving challenges and make the most of new tools and opportunities.

In this issue, for example, addressing the HIM impact of one of the most significant news stories of 2022, privacy and security expert Rebecca Herold explores the burden of navigating privacy and compliance post Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Lisa A. Eramo reports on the evidence concerning the impact of the utilization of data about race in clinical decision support tools. Leigh Poland, RHIA, CCS, vice president of AGS Health’s Coding Service Line, looks at “The High-Risk Game of High-Risk Diagnosis Groups,” and Susan Chapman investigates how natural language processing is affecting data abstraction in cancer registries. In addition, department articles explore the essential requirements of medical coding technology, training for clinical documentation integrity specialists, lessons learned from a data breach, and what HIM professionals must know about information blocking.

— Kate Jackson
kjackson@gvpub.com