AHIMA SUPPORTS HOUSE PASSAGE OF BETTER HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM ACT

CHICAGO, July 28— The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) today announced its support for the version of the Better Health Information System Act (HR 4157) passed last week by the House of Representatives.

“We congratulate the House for passing this important piece of legislation,” said Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, CEO AHIMA. “We also applaud the sponsors of this bill, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chair Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) for their dedication to leading this effort to improve the quality of our nation’s health information systems.”

Among the provisions in HR 4157 is an upgrade to the nation’s 30-year old diagnostic and procedure classification system. The bill calls for the adoption and implementation of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS as replacements for the obsolete ICD-9-CM in the US by October 1, 2010.

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS are essential to collecting the information needed to implement a proper pay-for-performance system for providers and to carry out Medicare’s road map for the future, which depends on accurate data regarding the effectiveness of treatments. The ICD-10 classifications will also enable better patient care through increased understanding of the value of new procedures, improved disease management, and an improved ability to study patient outcomes. Without adoption of ICD-10-CM, it will be difficult to track new and emerging public health threats, such as avian flu.

“With a declared 2010 implementation deadline for ICD-10 the industry can begin to dedicate resources required to complete the detailed planning and development process,” said Kloss. “This deadline reflects a realistic compromise between the demand for better data and the time needed to complete the transition.”

AHIMA is the national association of health information management (HIM) professionals. AHIMA's 53,000 members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public. Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medical records, AHIMA is committed to advancing the HIM profession in an increasingly electronic and global environment through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelong learning. For information about the Association, go to www.ahima.org.