SURVEY REVEALS HIM PROFESSIONALS HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON EHR SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

CHICAGO, October 5— Involvement of health information management (HIM) professionals in electronic health record (EHR) implementations can improve outcomes, according to a report recently released in the October issue of the Journal of AHIMA.

“This study confirms the benefits that HIM professionals bring to EHR implementations,” states Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, AHIMA’s CEO. “It also points to areas where HIM professionals have the opportunity for greater impact.”

The report surveyed hospital HIM directors about the extent of HIM involvement in EHR implementation, then identified correlations between involvement and project success. Survey respondents were asked to indicate the level of adoption of EHR components in their facility and specify the type and level of HIM involvement. This information was gathered for five functions: documentation management, patient care charting, electronic medication administration records, computerized provider order entry, and data mining.

Those facilities reporting the best outcomes were significantly linked to HIM involvement in the following two areas:

1. Workflow and process improvement, in both clinical settings and the HIM department; and
2. Implementation responsibilities and training for the document management system and paper record retention following implementation.

“The findings demonstrate that HIM professionals have both the knowledge and skills regarding data collection and maintenance processes crucial to the effective implementation of EHRs. The results also confirm that those facilities taking advantage of these skills have benefited significantly,” adds Bryon Pickard, MBA, RHIA, president-elect of AHIMA.

The survey results also showed that HIM professionals are very involved in their facilities’ EHR implementation, with 61 percent serving on an EHR steering or comparable committee and 69 percent managing amendments to records. Another 67 percent are involved in documentation improvement programs.

A copy of the Journal of AHIMA article can be found at http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_032054.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_032054. The complete research results can be found on AHIMA’s Web site at http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_032055.pdf. The survey was designed as an initial effort in researching the topic. It was constructed by content experts and reviewed by the multidisciplinary AHIMA EHR Practice Council. The council is made up of AHIMA members with expertise related to health information practices in an electronic environment and EHR best practices across all practice settings.

AHIMA is the premier association of health information management (HIM) professionals. AHIMA’s 52,000 members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed to deliver quality health care 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 more information about the Association, go to www.ahima.org.