Online Health Information Management Certificate

The Health Information Management Certificate program helps students learn new job skills and expand existing health care management knowledge to improve performance in their current positions.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Review patient records for timeliness, completeness, accuracy, and appropriateness of data
• Organize and maintain data for clinical databases and registries
• Track patient outcomes for quality assessment
• Use classification software to assign clinical codes for reimbursement and data analysis
• Electronically record data for collection, storage, analysis, retrieval, and reporting
• Protect patients’ health information for confidentiality, authorized access for treatment, and data security
  

This lesson explores the basic workings of the legal system in America.

Objectives:

• Differentiate between public law and “private law”
• Understand the difference between procedural and substantive criminal law
• Explain how the three branches of government create, administer, and enforce the law
• Understand and describe quasi-legal requirements to which health-care providers are subject
• Explain the difference between subject matter jurisdiction and personal jurisdiction
• Explain the differences between trials and appeals
• Identify steps in a lawsuit
• Describe different methods of discovery
• Explain the different types of alternative dispute resolution
• Define the legal meaning of these terms: evidence, admissible, and hearsay
• Explain why medical records are hearsay and the exception to the rule that allows them to be admitted
• Explain the role of the health information manager in establishing the foundation and trustworthiness of records for evidence purposes
• List questions commonly asked to establish the foundation for entering records into evidence
• Explain the application of patient-doctor privilege in the judicial process
• Describe the differences between a subpoena, subpoena ad testificandum, and a subpoena duces tecum
• Compare and contrast a court order authorizing disclosure of health information with a subpoena
• Compare and contrast the three recommended responses of a health information manager to a subpoena
• Explain what to do when presented with an invalid subpoena duces tecum

This lesson explores patient record requirements. You’ll complete a midterm examination following the end of this lesson.

Objectives:

• Summarize the multiple functions and uses of a medical record.
• Explain how sources of law influence the content of the medical record.
• Explain the length of time for which records should be retained under different circumstances and how records may permissibly be destroyed.
• Explain the difference between privacy and confidentiality.
• Discuss the sources of law upon which the right to privacy is based.
• Understand the principles behind exceptions to consent in emergency situations.
• Describe features of these relationships: physician-patient, hospital-patient, and hospital-physician.
• State the elements of a negligence claim and define medical malpractice.
• List methods of establishing standard of care.
• Explain the term res ipsa loquitur.
• Compare and contrast vicarious liability with corporate negligence.
• Describe the difference between assault and battery.
• Describe the intentional torts of defamation, invasion of privacy, and medical abandonment.
• Identify defenses commonly raised in cases involving health-care providers.
• Explain the difference between contributory negligence and comparative negligence.

This lesson explores access to health information, with an emphasis on HIPAA laws.

Objectives:

• Discuss who owns health information.
• Explain the meaning of “protected health information” under HIPAA’s final privacy rule.
• Explain the core concepts of HIPAA’s final privacy rules.
• List the core elements of a valid release of information form.
• Explain the principle of the minimum necessary standard.
• Identify who may release health information and methods employed to disclose health information.
• Explain the purpose of a redisclosure statement.
• Compare the judicial approach with the legislative approach for access to adoption records.
• Discuss the regulations governing patient identification and their practical application.
• Identify when substance abuse health information may be released without prior patient consent.
• Explain the difference between a court order authorizing disclosure of patient-specific information and a subpoena duces tecum and how to respond to both.
• Explain the difference between the official record and the personal record in the mental health/developmental disability context.
• Explain the benefits and risks associated with genetic information.
• Discuss the three steps of voluntary testing.
• Describe restrictions that confidentiality statutes and ethical guidelines place on HIV/AIDS information.

This lesson explores risk management and quality management. You’ll also learn about the transition to computerized patient records. A research assignment and comprehensive final examination follow the end of this lesson.

Objectives:

• Compare and contrast risk management with quality management.
• Explain how the three components of patient record requirements relate to risk management.
• Define an incident report and explain how it relates to attorney-client privilege.
• Differentiate between the discovery and the admissibility of incident reports.
• Explain the differing aims of peer review statutes.
• Describe the reporting requirements of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act.
• Compare and contrast the three broad categories of law and regulation governing the creation and storage of computerized patient records.
• List types of lawsuits that may arise from breach of confidentiality of computerized patient health information records.
• Compare and contrast physical security, personnel security, and risk prevention techniques and discuss risk prevention techniques.
• Discuss security issues associated with the Internet and email.
• Discuss how HIPAA rules impact computerized patient records.

Textbook: Legal Aspects of Health Information Management

Objectives:

• Discuss the history of electronic health records
• Perform administrative health information management functions
• Build an electronic health record
• Enter information into an electronic health record
• Utilize templates to increase productivity

Textbook: The Electronic Health Record for the Physician's Office with SimChart for the Medical Office

Simulation: SimChart for the Medical Office

Learning Aid: Certification Test Prep