Introduction to Health Information Management

Course Description:

Students are introduced to health information management in healthcare delivery settings in the
U.S., including filing systems, storage, circulation, and documentation issues. Topics also
explored are the electronic health record (EHR), patient confidentiality, the impact of the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) on medical practices, and various career
opportunities for health information management professionals. Students apply health
information management concepts and skills to course exercises to demonstrate functional
knowledge.

Course Objectives
Describe various types of managed care models and long-term care
Identify careers in health information management and HIM professional associations
Outline contents of a patients record including authentication of records, provider and
patient responsibilities, differences between administrative and clinical data, correcting
documentation and storage methods
Identify administrative and clinical applications of the electronic medical record (EMR) and
the different elements of an implementation
List the contents of inpatient, outpatient and physician office records with the ability to
distinguish between each
Identify and discuss numbering, filing systems , record storage, circulation, indexes,
registers and health data collection
Outline HIM legal and regulatory issues and the importance of confidentiality, HIPAA
privacy and security provisions of the patient record
List and explain nomenclatures, classifications, third-party payers and healthcare
reimbursement systems.

Course Credits: 3 credits

Course Prerequisites: none

Course Textbook:

Green, M. A., & Bowie, M. J. (2015). Essentials of health information management: principles and
practices (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. ISBN: 9781285177267

Grading Policy: A course grade is determined based on the percentage of points as designated
in the following chart.

Assessment Percent of Final Grade

Discussions 30%
Assignments 30%
Reflection Journals 10%
Quizzes 5%
Midterm Exam 10%

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Final Exam 15%

Below is an at-a-glance look at the weekly discussion and assignment topics. In each Getting
Started module within the course, you will find details about your weekly readings, lectures,
supplemental resources, discussions and assignment instructions, and rubrics

TOPICAL OUTLINE BY WEEK

Week 1: The History of Medicine and the Delivery of Healthcare in the United

Reading: Chapter 1
Discussion: Answer both questions.
Question A:
Tell us about yourself so you can meet and greet other fellow students
within your course. Include what you believe to be your current
knowledge level of this course topic and what you hope to learn before
the course is over.

Question B:
This course is required for students in the AAS Medical Coding and Billing
(MCB) and in the BS Health Systems Management (HSM) degree. Whether
you know a lot or not very much about the degree field you have chosen,
in your post identify if you are an MCB or HSM major, then list the top
three skills you think are needed to success in your field and explain why
by giving examples. When you respond to your fellow students posts, do
you agree or disagree with the skills they have listed and why or why
Assignment: This is a two-part assignment.
Part 1: In one page, explain why an organizational chart is important to a
healthcare organization. Discuss any limitations that are created with a
formalized structure as well as any strategic advantages in how efforts
are planned. Be sure to double check your response and correct any
spelling issues flagged.
Part 2: Provide a response to questions 1-10 of exercise 1-5 found on pg
34 of the course textbook. Questions 1-5 will ask students to determine
whether an abbreviation represents a regulatory or accrediting agency.
Questions 6-10 will ask students to provide the meaning for each
abbreviation listed.

Journal: In the reflection for this week, think of a time when you or someone you
know sought out services in a primary and secondary care setting. In a
two paragraph response compare and contrast these two types of
healthcare services.

Week 2: The Healthcare Professional and Care Settings

Reading: Chapters 2 & 3

Week 2 video lecture
www.ahima.org/careers/healthinfo

Discussion: From your text, select, and rank order the top three
organizations/facilities you would like to work for and explain why,
including if you have any personal or work experience with the three you
selected. Be sure to include references for any sources that you have

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 utilized for your response.

Assignment: This is a two-part assignment

Part One: In preparation for accreditation at its facilities, the

administration would like the staff to understand the important benefits
of accreditation and how undergoing the accreditation process can
enhance quality. Go to The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Web site
(http://www.jointcommission.org), and answer the following questions. Be
sure to set a positive tone that will appeal to and win over staff,
emphasizing the benefits accreditation can provide your
organization. Format your answers in a memo format and address it to
me.
What exactly are accreditation and certification?
What is the difference between accreditation and certification?
What are the benefits of accreditation?
What are the benefits of Joint Commission certification?
How can undergoing the accreditation process improve quality at a
healthcare facility?

Part Two: In a one page, double spaced APA format, define what long
term care is and why it has continued to increase in terms of importance
amongst the healthcare landscape. In your response be sure to use
examples to augment your findings and include relevant citations.

Journal: In the reflection for this week, provide an overview of what a behavioral
health healthcare venue is and how these services compare to more
traditional healthcare venues.

Quiz: Week 2 quiz

Week 3: The Patient Record

Reading: Chapter 4
Week 3 video lecture
www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/ehr-implementation-steps/

Discussion: An individuals medical record is an accumulation of all healthcare-

related events in their life thus far.
In your initial post, discuss the components of the medical record. What
is the purpose of the medical record? What future changes or
modifications would you like to see to the medical record and why?
When you respond to fellow students posts, do you agree or disagree
with the changes/modifications they proposed? Why or why not?

Assignment: Health data can be classified into a variety of categories and it is vital
that professionals in this venue understand differences and the agencies
that govern them.
Complete textbook exercise 4-1 (pg. 85) and exercise 4-2 (pgs. 93-94) in
one document and submit your work in this drop box.

Journal: In the reflection for this week, consider the purpose of the Joint
Commission in terms of how care is delivered in the United States. What
does this mean to you in terms of quality of care for patients?

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 Week 4: The Diversity of Patient Records and the Variety of its Contents

Reading: Chapter 6
Week 4 video lecture

Discussion: Chapter 6 in your text outlines the Patient Self Determination Act (PDSA)
of 1990, types of advance directive forms, and that AD laws and forms
required, vary by state.
Using the internet, research the advance directive laws and forms
required to be used in the state in which you live, identify your state and
provide a summary of those laws, and copy and paste in the URL
address(s) that support(s) the information in your post.
Dont be afraid to let your personal opinions influence your initial
discussion post, but in turn, respect the thoughts of others as we interact
this week.

Assignment: (Midterm Exam)

Journal: In the reflection for this week provide an overview, in your own words, of
what purpose a Forms/Documentation Committee serves for a Healthcare
Organization. Be sure to include how this ultimately impacts patients
downstream.

Week 5: Overview of the Filling, Storage, and Circulation of Medical Records

Reading: Chapter 7
Week 5 video lecture

Discussion: Discuss serial numbering system, unit numbering system, social security
numbering system, family numbering system and serial unit numbering.
Which system do you prefer and why?
Then respond to two fellow students' posts. Do you agree with their
reasoning, why or why not?

Assignment: Part One: Create an Excel spreadsheet and compare and contrast the
alphabetic and numeric filing systems. Use the following as headings in
your spreadsheet: Similarities, Differences, Advantages, and
Disadvantages.
Then copy and paste your spreadsheet into a word document and
complete part two of the assignment.
Part Two: Complete textbook exercise 7-1, p. 225, exercise 7-3, p. 235,
and exercise 7-5, p. 242 in a single word document and submit it in this
dropbox.

Journal: In the reflection for this week, think of a time where you had to fill out
forms that seemed to be incredibly redundant when visiting a healthcare
provider. What are some ways that medical record redundancies can be
reduced using your personal experience?

Week 6: Overview of Indexes, Registers, and Health Data Collection

Reading: Chapter 8
Week 6 video

Discussion: This is a two-part discussion. Chapter 8 in your text list different types of

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 US medical registers and registries and talks about organ donation.
Part #1: Using the internet, research the organ donation laws in the state
in which you live, identify your state and provide a summary of those
laws, and copy and paste in the URL address(s) that support(s) the
information in your post.
Part #2: Share with your fellow students your age, and if you do or dont
currently identify yourself as an organ donor and why or why not? If you
so wish, you may also share if your family has had any experiences with
organ donation and what your family would or would not do differently if
a similar situation arose.
Dont be afraid to let your personal opinions influence your initial
discussion post, but in turn, respect the thoughts of others as we interact
this week.

Assignment: This assignment assesses retention of knowledge regarding indexes,

registries and the overall health data collection process in healthcare.
Complete textbook assignment 8-1, p. 257, exercise 8-2, p. 264, and 8-4,
p. 274 and submit it in one document in this dropbox.

Journal: In the reflection for this week, in two paragraphs describe why
registers/registries are important in the healthcare setting. In your
reflection be sure to reference a specific register/registry as a supportive
example.

Quiz: Week 6 quiz

Week 7: The Electronic Record and the Legal Aspects of Health Information
Management

Reading: Chapters 5 and 9

Week 7 video

Discussion: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
has impacted all patients with the general intention of protecting our
privacy and rights as a patient.
Using your text book and the internet, research HIPAA and provide and
reflect on what this Act was intended to address. Also provide a brief
overview of how this has impacted you as an individual consumer/patient.

Assignment: Electronic Health Records have undergone a tremendous evolution in its

short existence in healthcare. As technology continues to evolve it is
incredibly important that professionals in this industry understand
where, and why, EHRs continue to evolve. Privacy, Security, Legal and
regulatory requirements are a very large part of how healthcare is
delivered in the United States. How we collect data is directly influenced
by these requirements so we must reflect on their impacts.
Complete the following textbook exercises in single document.
5-1, p. 119
9-1, p. 283
9-3, p. 296
9-4, p. 296

Journal: In the reflection for this week, think of a time when your healthcare visit
was documented entirely via an Electronic Health Record/Computer? Did
this impact the overall quality of care that you received during your

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 encounter? Why or why not?

Week 8: Overview of Coding and Reimbursement

Reading: Chapter 10
Week 8 video

Discussion: Chapter 10 in your text introduces you to third-party payer

reimbursement.
Identify a friend, family member, or co-worker who is insured by a
different company than you are insured by. Converse with that person
regarding their personal opinions/experiences of their medical coverage.
Contrast this conversation with your own experiences and comment on
the similarities and differences.
How are the opinions/experiences in their posts similar or different to
your post and why?

Assignment: (Final Exam)

Journal: In the reflection for this week, think of a time when you read about fraud
in the healthcare industry. What occurred and how was the specific
activity flagged as fraud to begin with. In your reflection also list out
how this could have been prevented and what can/is done to prevent it
from continuing to occur.

The following table outlines the academic effort required by students to be successful in this
course. While the times in the table are approximate, it is presented to help students with their
time management. Please note, depending on the student's background knowledge and
experience of the course subject and an individual student's academic capabilities, these times
will vary. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to your instructor or student
advisor.

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 0.8
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 0.0
1 Readings 2.1
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 10.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
2 Online Readings/Lectures 1.2
Discussions 2.0

6
 Assignments 1.0
Readings 1.7
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 11.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 0.8
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 0.0
3 Readings 1.4
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 10.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 0.6
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 2.0
4 Readings 3.7
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 4.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 0.8
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 0.0
5 Readings 1.1
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 10.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
6 Online Readings/Lectures 0.9

7
 Discussions 2.0
Assignments 1.0
Readings 0.9
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 11.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 1.3
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 0.0
7 Readings 1.9
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 10.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

Estimated Hours
Week Type of Activity Activity
Required
Readings/Lectures 0.6
Online Discussions 2.0
Assignments 2.0
8 Readings 1.1
Discussions 1.0
Preparation
Assignments 13.0
Clinical/Lab Hours 0.0

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