Litigation Response Planning and Policies for E-Discovery

Healthcare organizations prepare for changes due to new rules

CHICAGO, February 5, 2008—The new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are changing the legal discovery process in healthcare. Preparing for the rules governing the discovery of electronic information and the legal process will require healthcare organizations to re-evaluate the management of electronically stored information, according to an article in the February  issue of the Journal of AHIMA.

The article explains that to successfully manage electronic discovery (e-discovery) health organizations must develop a well-defined structure and process to understand, manage and prepare for litigation. A collaboration among legal counsel, health information management and information technology professionals is recommended to successfully manage the e-discovery process.

Five key steps to develop a litigation response plan and process are detailed in the article: Conduct an evaluation of applicable rules; identify a litigation response team; analyze issues, risks and challenges; develop organizational policy and procedures; and develop a system for ongoing monitoring and evolution.

Also listed are 10 activities that healthcare organizations should complete to prepare for the complex e-discovery process.

Read the complete article in the February issue of the Journal of AHIMA or online at www.ahima.org.

About AHIMA

AHIMA is the leading professional Association representing more than 52,000 specially educated and certified health information management professionals working throughout the healthcare industry.  HIM professionals serve healthcare and the public by managing, analyzing, and utilizing data vital for health system management. www.ahima.org