Why HIM professionals hold the keys to patient satisfaction

On By Lisa A. EramoIn AHIMA, Communication, EMR and EHR, Freelance writing, Healthcare writing, HIM management, ICD-10, Patient advocacy, Patient engagement, Patient portals, Patient satisfaction, Uncategorized

I started writing about medical coding and health information back in 2005. When I stop and think about how many changes HIM professionals have been through during that decade, it’s mind-boggling! First it was MS-DRGs and the dawn of clinical documentation improvement, then the Affordable Care Act and the push for electronic health records, then ICD-10, and now a transition to value-based payments.

As medical records have evolved, HIM professionals’ skills have evolved as well. With their intimate knowledge of data — particularly how data is created, modified, stored, and shared — they bring such value to the table. The sky is the limit when HIM and IT collaborate effectively. Add a hospital executive to the mix, and you’ve got a powerful trio of intelligent minds that can propel process improvement forward. What an exciting thought!

Unfortunately, it’s sometimes difficult to find common ground. And it’s easy to lose valuable ideas in translation. The good news is that everyone seems to speak the language of ‘patient satisfaction.’ Organizations nationwide  continue to focus on the patient experience — especially in light of the important role that both of these plays in CMS’ latest hospital quality star ratings.

This is an opportunity for HIM. Take it.

Meet with a C-suite executive and explain how HIM can engage patients. Here are a few examples:

  1. Portal navigation. Who is most qualified to convey the value of portals and educate patients how to use them? HIM.
  2. Health coverage education. Who is most knowledgeable of complex insurance policies (including copayments, deductibles, coinsurance, etc.) and can thus help patients understand these concepts? HIM.
  3. Digital forms. Who can help digitize forms, integrate EHR data into those forms, reduce duplication, and create opportunities for e-signatures on mobile devices? HIM.
  4. Advocacy for privacy and security. Who can help patients understand their rights to obtain copies of their own medical records? HIM.
  5. Protection against medical identity theft. Who can implement policies and procedures to thwart identity theft and protect patient information? HIM.
  6. EHR best practices. Who can help physicians integrate the EHR into the exam room so it doesn’t disrupt communication? HIM.

In what other ways do you, as an HIM professional, strive to improve the patient experience daily?