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AHIMA article on transition from paper to EHR - from MT to coding

Posted: Mar 19, 2013

I read in: http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_048635.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_048635

About EHR and the need to review file room staffing and need to reduce or redefine staff as the record becomes fully electronic, and consider work queues that are built into electronic record systems that will drive HIM staff members' work for the day (e.g., verbal orders that are not signed, transcriptions, etc.).

What I am asking the coding forum today is,

Are coders constantly entering their access username/password? Access should be terminated automatically after a certain period of inactivity. Groups also can set the length of system inactivity. The access for nurses on a nursing unit could time out after 10 minutes of inactivity; access for coders should be set for a longer time, since coders often must review numerous documents before determining a code.

I am not asking about the issue of working at home, but am asking about coders' employment security:

Ensure organization has planned its off-site EHR content carefully before implementing any off-site coding or transcription functions (e.g., have major clinical documentation needed by coders, such as physician progress notes, available online to coders before implementing off-site coding)

This article doesn't have a date on it, so maybe this is outdated information. I would think with ICD-10, coding would stay in-house and more coders would be needed. Appreciate any comments!

Not sure I understand what you are asking - Informatics

[ In Reply To ..]
The article is from November of 2010. The date is at the bottom.

I am not sure what either of those quotes have to do with job security. Or ICD-10. Could you explain further?

That statement about file room staff does not apply to coders, who are not file room staff. Off-site means not located at the facility itself, i.e., able to use paper records or other materials that are only on-site. It could mean in another building if it wasn't convenient to transport records there. It does not mean out-sourced or off-shored. For what it is worth, jobs with contract coding companies are really good, but they require a lot of experience and, often, AHIMA credentials like the RHIA or RHIT.

Your first statement relates to time-outs for access to an EHR. Timing out after, say, 10 minutes of inactivity enhances security by preventing terminals from being left "open" and unauthorized persons from accessing them or authorized persons from accessing using someone else's access. This is a necessary safeguard, not something meant to hinder or aggravate you.

Are coders constantly logging in? No more than anyone else . . . if you are working, you stay logged in. If you leave your computer, you log out. How would that affect job security? I'm not sure what the concern is.

Your second concern is about a statement that says everything coders need must be available electronically before they can work in a location that does not have access to the paper record. In other words, you cannot move your coders to an offsite building until everything they need is available electronically. How else would you do it? The coders need the records to do their work.

None of our coders work in the hospital itself. They are miles away at three different offices and a few work from home. That is only possible because we are fully electronic.

I don't see anything there that has anything to do with job security.

As for ICD-10, yes, it is anticipated to require an increased number of coders for several reasons. That might enhance job availability, but it isn't like there is a problem with it now. Jobs in health information are considered very secure. They change, requiring continual growth, but they are overall very secure.

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